Legend of Zelda: War of the Golden Powers
by Lord Siravant
Summary: Three years after Majora's Mask, Sauron invades Hyrule to claim the Triforce. And the only way to stop him may be for the Triforce holders to join forces. Can such an alliance succeed, or will the One Ring triumph over the Triforce? R&R...Please? ON HOLD FOR COMPLETE REWRITE
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: Rise of the Dark Lord**

The land of Hyrule was quiet. Night had wrapped its dark fingers around the world, and all the inhabitants slept soundly in their beds. A light wind swept across the plains of Hyrule Field, whistling softly to the grass. And it was through this peaceful night that they marched. Thousands upon thousands of evil creatures swarmed across the Field, all serving the iron will of the Dark Lord Sauron.

Princess Zelda awoke from her nightmare, panting heavily. Visions of embattled armies danced in her head. And then there was the ring with the strange, glowing writing, and the tall, heavily-armored owner sweeping aside warriors with a swing of his mace. This dream had been troubling her for some time. _This is no ordinary dream, _she thought as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. _The Triforce is trying to tell me something. Is it warning me about an impending attack?_

She slowly lifted herself from her bed and sighed. _Should I tell my father?_

She hated to tell her father about evil things to come, but she feared the consequences were he not warned. Somewhere deep down, she doubted it had anything to do with Ganondorf. Three years had passed since the Master Sword was laid to rest in the Temple of Time after the defeat of Ganondorf. Peace had been restored, and the country was flourishing. But now this mysterious figure and his army were threatening that peace for which they had fought so hard.

Yet somehow, this man seemed familiar. She was sure she had seen a picture of him in some old book in the royal library. Sliding her feet into her slippers, she set off in that direction. As she walked through the dark, silent halls, another vision appeared to her, causing her to stop. It was that strange writing again, but this time, it was circling the Triforce. Zelda knew immediately that that was bad news.

She quickened her pace and soon arrived at her destination. Quietly, she opened the door, trying to minimize that wretched creaking sound it always made. She walked to the far end of the cavernous room, passing by shelf upon shelf stuffed with books, records, and other articles of writing until she came to the history section. As she perused the many books, a nagging feeling in the back of her mind, possibly due to the Triforce of Wisdom, made her focus on a particular book. She reached up and pulled it down from the shelf. She opened it, freeing a small layer of dust which had accumulated on the pages. Blowing the dust aside, she flipped through the pages until she found what she was looking for.

There was a sketch of the armored man surrounded by fire, his hand held out in front of him. A ring was clearly visible on his index finger. With a start, she recognized the letters on the band as the same markings in her visions. Tearing her eyes away from the picture, she concentrated on the following text.

_The Dark Lord Sauron is the most feared enemy of Middle-earth, a large land bordering our own through the deserts. Once the most powerful servant of the first Dark Lord, Morgoth, he succeeded him after Morgoth's banishment to the netherworld. His powers are many, and are believed to be superior to the powers of a Triforce wielder. Sauron is a clever and deceitful individual as well, for he once could change his form to suit his purpose, and under the guise of a man called Annatar, Lord of Gifts, he created magical rings for the primary races of Middle-earth; three went to our distant cousins, the Elves, though these were made with little assistance from Sauron; seven were sent to the Dwarf-kings, master craftsmen and miners; and nine were gifted to the kings of mortal men, who desired more power than the rest. Then, secretly, he returned to his abominable domain of Mordor and forged his own ring, much more powerful than the others. Crafted from molten gold mixed with his own blood, the One Ring it became, imbued with much of his own power. Using the One Ring, he began his conquest. The Elves were lucky and sensed his treachery before harm could be done. The Dwarves proved strong-willed, but they soon fell to dragons. The kings of men, their wills the weakest, were subjugated altogether, and over time became his chief servants, the Nazgul. Since then, an alliance has been formed between the Elves and humans, and it is only a matter of time before they confront the hordes of Orcs and Trolls under Sauron's command._

As Princess Zelda read, the terror in her heart grew. _Superior to a Triforce wielder…Could…could he possibly be an even greater threat than Ganondorf?_

She closed the book and returned it to its place on the shelf. Suddenly a voice behind her said, "Princess? What are you doing up at this hour?"

Zelda turned around and saw a tall, muscular woman with pale skin, red eyes, and white hair tied up in a bun. "Impa," Zelda said to her Sheikah guardian.

"You are not sleeping well," Impa answered. "What is troubling you?"

"I…" Zelda hesitated. She swallowed, and then continued. "I am being troubled by my dreams. I see armies locked in bloody battle. Our soldiers and allies are battling monstrous creatures that fight like mindless animals. There's this tall man covered in a thick suit of armor carrying a mace who decimates our strongest men with the greatest of ease. And this is what troubles me the most. I see the Triforce…but it's surrounded by strange letters, a language unfamiliar to me. Somehow he looked familiar, and I came here looking for answers."

Impa's eyes were full of worry. "What did you find?"

Zelda looked her in the eye and said, "I think we are about to be attacked by the Dark Lord Sauron!"

Meanwhile, Sauron's army marched under the cover of night, venturing towards the center of Hyrule Field. When they reached there, they stopped and set up camp, weary of the long march through the desert. In the midst of Orcs putting up crude tents and large, brutish Hill Trolls milling about, the man in Zelda's dreams and a figure on horseback were conversing with one another. It was Sauron and his servant the Witch-king, Lord of the Nazgul. "Finally, we have arrived," Sauron said, his voice dark and menacing. "It certainly took long enough."

"Yes, My Lord," the Witch-king agreed, his voice an icy whisper. "The soldiers are weary of the journey."

"What does it matter?" Sauron responded. "They are soldiers, expendable fodder who individually mean nothing to the face of existence. Their welfare is of little concern to me."

The Dark Lord looked around the wide expanse before him, his eyes soon fixing on the distant Lost Woods. "I want you to take a raiding party and scout out that forest over there," he said, gesturing towards the Lost Woods. "If you find any inhabitants, kill them. Once you are done there, report back to me and start a lumber camp there. We need wood in order to build a defensible perimeter around this camp."

"It will be done, My Lord," the Witch-king hissed, nodding his head. The Nazgul then looked up and snarled, "Second battalion, first company! Follow me!"

Several hundred Orcs, a small group of them riding large, hyena-like wolves called Wargs, and a Troll converged around him and followed him out of the camp. For several hours they marched across the flat plains of Hyrule Field, watching as the tree line of the Lost Woods grew larger. At last they arrived, and the raiding party paused outside of a large, fallen, hollowed out tree that led into the Lost Woods. The Witch-king spurred his black horse onward, his minions following close behind. On the other side of the tree-tunnel, they stopped. There was a wooden bridge ahead of them, and that could only mean one thing: inhabitants.

The Witch-king guided his horse up to where the bridge began and slowly trotted across. When he reached the other side, he turned his head and called out, "Orcs, with me. You, Troll, shall go by another route. Circle around and see what else is in these woods."

As the Orcs moved forward, the Troll jumped off the ledge and landed beneath the bridge, before trudging off into the trees.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Attack on Kokiri Forest**

Link twisted in bed, plagued by nightmares. He could see visions of fire, blood, and battle swimming around in his head. Then he saw the Triforce, shining brightly across all of Hyrule. But suddenly, the light subsided, as if it was shrouded by a cloud, and strange, fiery-red letters circled it like vultures. He could hear strange murmuring, a language he could not interpret, echoing throughout his mind. Suddenly he heard a sound like shouting voices. Monstrous voices. And it was growing louder. Then he realized he was awake, and that that noise was no dream.

Link shot out of bed, grabbed his sword and shield hanging on the wall, and dashed outside. He could see the silhouettes of vicious, bow-legged monsters with black skin running into the village. Something told Link they weren't here to sight-see. The Kokiri were stirred out of their sleep and looked outside to see the exact same thing. Terrified, they fled their houses and headed towards the entrance to the Lost Woods. The monsters were quickly gaining on them. Link instantly leapt into battle. One creature swung its sword at him, but he ducked and ran it through with his blade. Two more replaced it. Link parried their strikes and cut both of them down. _They don't seem to be overly skilled, _he noted, _but they're acting way more violent than any of Ganondorf's monsters._

Link's attack had diverted the Orcs' attention, giving the Kokiri a chance to escape. But not all seized that opportunity. Saria ran to Link's side, using her Sage powers to blast Orcs away. Noticing this, Mido decided to join in and started throwing rocks at the Orcs, which only served to piss them off. Realizing he wasn't helping, he decided to follow the others. Link turned to Saria and said, "Get everyone to the Lost Woods and tell them to wait for me!"

Saria nodded and ran after the Kokiri, ordering them to follow her. With that out of the way, Link faced the remaining Orcs head-on. Each Orc that approached him was quickly slain. Eventually the others fell back, allowing Link to retreat into the Lost Woods. The Witch-king rode to the head of his forces and pointed his sword at the entrance to the Lost Woods and emitted an ear-piercing shriek which reverberated through the trees, the earth, the very air. The Witch-king charged forward, and the Orcs tailed him.

Unfortunately for them, Link knew his way through the Lost Woods and shortly found Saria and the Kokiri. "Where should we go?" Saria asked.

Before Link could speak, another, much more ancient voice answered, "You must flee this forest, my children."

"Great Deku Tree?" Link said, looking up. "I thought the Kokiri couldn't…"

"The world is a dangerous place, and I wanted the Kokiri to be safe. This forest was a safe place for you all, but no more. Link, lead them to the portal that takes you to the Goron City in Death Mountain. They cannot stay here."

"Y-yes, Great Deku Tree," Link said timidly. "But…what about you?"

"Do not fear for me. If I am to die, my sprout will grow and replace me. Now go! The enemy approaches!"

Link nodded and looked at the Kokiri. With a heavy heart he told them, "I know where this portal is. Follow me."

"And Link," the Great Deku Tree added, "You will need a companion, someone to guide you once more in your adventure. An old friend from your previous adventure in Hyrule."

"…Navi?" Link breathed.

"Yes, Link. She will find you. Wait for her in the Goron City."

Link swallowed, then nodded. "Come on," he said to the Kokiri.

The Witch-king entered the Lost Woods, followed closely by the Orcs. There were three hollowed-out tree trunks like the one at the entrance to the Kokiri Forest in a square patch of ground. The ground rose up to form a wall, where the trees sat atop. The Witch-king turned to his minions and hissed, "Spread out! Find them!"

The Orcs went into the three openings. Two of them led back to the Kokiri village, confusing the Orcs who took those routes. The Witch-king suddenly heard a captain behind him say, "Sir, those tunnels lead back to that village!"

Another Orc appeared out of one of the holes and yelled, "Not this one!"

The Witch-king and the Orcs promptly entered that hole and ended up in an identical patch of ground. Frustrated, the Witch-king snarled, "Spread out! Find those brats! Half of you go that way, the rest of you, that way!"

The group divided in half and filed out, while the Witch-king took the third route by himself. The Orcs took the wrong routes and found themselves back in the village. Finally they decided to turn their attention to the village. The Witch-king, however, had chosen the correct path, and continued on through the woods.

They had just reached the portal when Link heard the sound of crashing trees quickly approaching. He unsheathed his sword and yelled, "Go without me! I'll meet up with you all in a few minutes!"

"But Link…" Saria began.

"_Just do it_!"

Saria fell silent, and then nodded her head. She turned to the terrified Kokiri and said, 'You heard him! Go!"

As they disappeared inside the portal, Link turned to meet his foe. Moments later, a vast, humanoid shape burst forth from the trees. In its hand was a huge sword. Its beady eyes fell on him, and the Troll charged. It swung down at Link, and Link jumped aside and slashed the beast's arm. It barely felt any pain and raised its sword to block Link's swing. It swung again, and this time Link dived under its legs and sliced the Troll's back. Its thick hide absorbed most of the blow, and it turned around and attempted to stomp on Link. Link rolled to the side and cut a huge gash in the Troll's leg. The Troll let out a howl and stumbled back, then regained its footing and came at Link once more.

The Witch-king heard the noise of the battle and followed it to another clearing with three passageways. This time, though, it was occupied. The Troll belonging to his group was battling a boy dressed in green.

This he _had_ to watch.

The Witch-king hid in the shadows as he watched the battle unfold.

Link kept jumping side to side, easily outmaneuvering the far-slower Troll, and inflicting wounds at every opportunity. However, the sheer size of this creature meant that it could take a lot of damage and still keep fighting, and it was becoming enraged. The Troll reached for him, but Link nimbly leapt aside, and the Troll's fingers closed around empty air. Link took this opportunity to drive his sword through its arm. The creature snarled in pain and rage, and Link quickly withdrew his sword as it fell back. In a blind fury, the Troll lumbered forward, bellowing fiercely, its sword raised high. Link did a somersault, letting the Troll's sword pass harmlessly over him. Before it could recover, Link stood up and stabbed the beast in the throat. Blood oozed out of the wound and the Troll's mouth as Link pulled out his sword and jumped back. The monster made a gurgling noise and stepped back towards the entrance where the Witch-king was hiding. The horse reared and the Witch-king shrieked as the huge mass collapsed over the entrance, blocking the way. The Witch-king screamed in fury as the Hero of Time escaped.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Fall of the Forest Guardian**

Irritated, the Witch-king turned his steed around and returned to the village, discovering that his Orcs were amusing themselves by burning down the houses. _Simple-minded fools, _he thought.

The Witch-king was about to order them to stay put while he reported back to Sauron, but suddenly something caught his attention, an ancient power which held considerable sway over the forest. The Witch-king looked in that general direction and realized it was originating from a massive tree a short distance away. Intrigued, the Nazgul galloped towards the tree, passing by a few Deku Babas before seeing the tree for himself.

It was colossal in size, and it had a face much like an old man's, with a nose, pronounced eyebrows, and a mustache. For one fleeting moment, the Witch-king thought it was an Ent, but quickly recanted that erroneous belief. He felt like it was scrutinizing him, and he was more insulted by this than intimidated. The Witch-king shrieked at the tree before hissing, "Whatever you are, address me and my master Sauron the Great as your superior! Refuse and you will die!"

After a long moment, the tree answered, "What unholy power spawned you, and gave you the right to enter my forest and cause it harm? I cannot, I _will_ not, bow to a slave to evil. That is all you are, Witch-king of Angmar. A slave to the powers of darkness."

The Witch-king unsheathed his sword and growled, "You _dare_ speak flippantly to _me_? I will not be scorned by a mere_ tree_!"

"I am no mere tree. I guard this forest and its people. Your ilk will suffer for your cruelty, if not by me, then by the forces of Hyrule. When that time comes, your words will not be so bold."

"A slave I may be, but the powers of darkness which govern my existence are much greater than your feeble magic! You underestimate my power and that of my master!"

"You speak of your master, but are you aware of the time in which he was in servitude to the dark god Morgoth, whose evil was greater than even his? Sauron the Deceiver is blinded by his arrogance, and it seems he has passed it on to you. You and he are both pitiful in that respect, 'Lord' of the Nazgul."

The Witch-king did not fail to notice the scornful emphasis on the word _Lord. _"How…_dare_ you?"

"Tell your master this, empty shell of a bygone age. In due time he shall face the wrath of those who wield the divine power, and it will be his undoing."

By the time he had finished, the Witch-king had already dismounted and was slowly advancing on the wizened tree-spirit. "Fool!" he shrieked in fury. "Your divine power is the power which Lord Sauron seeks, and he shall have it! Die with the knowledge that when the Triforce is his, all of Hyrule shall crumble before his might!"

The Witch-king then plunged his blade deep into the trunk, allowing the dark power that lurked within it to sweep out like a fast-acting poison. Knowing his time had come, the Great Deku Tree gave one last taunt to the Witch-king. "Ohhh…agghh…Killing me…will do nothing…My words still ring true…Your invasion will fail, and your powers of darkness…will…meet their end…"

The bark of the Great Deku Tree faded from brown to a dead grey as the leaves withered and began to fall. The Witch-king wordlessly withdrew his sword and sheathed it, returning to his horse and mounting it. He then spurred it on back to the village and snarled to the Orcs, "The time for entertainment is over! Begin a lumber camp immediately and level this wretched place until there is nothing left! Bring us the wood you collect every two days!"

The Orcs nodded and began their work. The Witch-king then left them behind and galloped back towards Sauron's camp as the morning light began to creep over the horizon. The sun was out in full by the time the Witch-king returned. Once he reached the center of the camp, he dismounted and stepped inside a large black tent. As he entered, Sauron looked up at him from the wooden chair where he sat. "What have you to report?" the Dark Lord said.

"The forest is ours. The ones who once lived there have fled, and the guardian who protected it has fallen by my hand. Also, a young boy garbed in green single-handedly slew the Troll who accompanied the raiding party."

"What did you say?" Sauron demanded, quickly standing. "A boy…dressed in green clothes?"

"Yes, Master."

"You fool! Why did you not bring him to me?"

"What…what does a mere boy matter to our plans, My Lord?"

"Idiot! The Hero of Time, the one who holds the Triforce of Courage, is a young boy in green! No mere boy could possibly slay a Troll single-handedly! You could have secured me the first part of the Triforce!"

"How could I have known this, Master? You have not told me who the individual wielders are."

At that, Sauron seemed to calm down, realizing his mistake. The Dark Lord returned to his seat and said, "He will likely attempt to warn the princess of Hyrule of our presence. She holds the Triforce of Wisdom, and I do not plan to deal with her just yet."

"Is it your wish that I pursue the boy and intercept him?"

"Yes. And if you fail me again…" He pointed a finger at the Witch-king. "I will make you suffer so greatly that you will pray for death! Now, leave my sight."

The Witch-king bowed and exited the tent. He mounted his horse and quickly galloped out of the camp to begin his search.

XXXXXX

Link entered the portal and found the Kokiri milling about, traumatized by the harrowing experience they had just endured. Link weaved his way through Kokiri and Gorons attempting to comfort them, looking for Saria and Darunia. After much searching, he finally found the two Sages talking to each other. Saria noticed him, and her eyes widened with worry. "Link! Are you all right?"

"Yeah," Link answered, nodding.

"Jeez, even when I'm gone, trouble always seems to find you wherever you go!" a light voice quipped behind Link.

Recognizing the voice, Link whipped around and saw a glowing orb with two insect-like wings facing him. "Navi? Is…is it really you?"

"No, I'm the Happy Mask Salesman. Of course it's me, you goofball!"

"But…I spent three years searching for you after I sealed Ganondorf…Where were you all this time?"

"The Great Deku Tree believed that you were strong enough now that you no longer needed a partner. Although, he and I were both aware of the fairy gal who followed you around in Termina."

"Tatl?"

"Yeah, her. But that doesn't really count. She was kinda forced into it. But the Great Deku Tree said that really dark times are coming, so he decided to send me back to you."

"…Well, at least you're back. I missed you."

"Um, hello? Earth to Link," Saria said, waving her hand in front of Link's face.

"Eh, what?" he responded, looking at her.

"Well, it looks like your friends here had a pretty rough experience," Darunia interjected. "They can stay here as long as they like. However, I suggest you go to Hyrule Castle and warn the Royal Family. Whatever this is, I have a gut feeling it isn't over."

Link sighed. After he had fought so hard to restore peace to Hyrule, now it was in danger _again_. "Hey, what are heroes for anyway?" Darunia added. "They save the world. That's your job, kid."

"…I know. I'm…just a little tired from all this adventuring."

He then looked at his three friends and said, "Well, my horse is at Lon Lon Ranch, which isn't too far from here. I'll go there first so the trip to the castle won't take as long."

"I'm going with you," Saria instantly said.

"No!" Link answered just as quickly. "You're safe here. I don't want to get hurt out there."

Saria put her hands on her hips and gave Link a stern glare. "Why? Because I'm a girl?"

"Uh…uh, no of course it isn't! It's just that…"

"It's just that_ what_?"

Her fairy, Micah, flitted over to Link's face and said, "Whaddaya gotta say to that, Link? Huh?"

"Stop it, Micah," Navi objected. "You're not helping."

"Well, Link?" Saria said.

"Uhh…I'll shut up now."

Saria smiled. "Good boy. Shall we go then?"

"Let's."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: The Hunt**

The Witch-king rode tirelessly across the plains, searching relentlessly for the Hero of Time. Suddenly he passed by a large plant-like thing. The Witch-king didn't stop until he heard a strange noise from behind him. As the Witch-king turned his head, his horse reared as they both watched the Pea Hat burst out of the ground and move towards them, its blades propelling it forward like a helicopter. Beneath the black hood and open-mouthed helmet, the Nazgul Lord's eyes widened. Quickly he drew his sword and screamed an unearthly wail, but the Pea Hat paid no heed to the Witch-king's warning. But he was not about to let himself be frightened away by a mere plant. Plus he had now acquired a special hatred for animated plants thanks to the Great Deku Tree. The Witch-king held his sword in the air. Suddenly the blade burst into flames as the Witch-king summoned forth the dark spell his master had taught him. He charged full-speed at the Pea Hat. Just as the blades were about to decapitate his steed, the horse veered to the left, and the Witch-king brought his flaming sword down onto the spinning blades, the dark energy surrounding it allowing it to slice through the spinning blades with ease. Robbed of its ability to hover, the Pea Hat tumbled to the ground and rolled onto its side, exposing the vulnerable roots. The Witch-king left the defeated Pea Hat in this pathetic position as he continued his search. _Wherever you go, _he swore to himself, _wherever you hide, I will find you, Hero of Time! I WILL FIND YOU!_

XXXXXX

Meanwhile, Link and Saria traversed the wide expanse that was Hyrule Field, watching for any more of the monsters that had appeared in the Kokiri Forest. Navi and Micah flitted ahead of them, making sure the way was clear. That night, as they sat around a small campfire, Saria said, "This is terrible. It's only been three years and Hyrule is once again under attack."

"And what makes this worse," Link replied," Link replied, "I don't think they work for Ganondorf. Someone else is behind this, but I don't know who."

"Goddesses help us if he's a bigger threat than Ganondorf," Navi interjected as Link put out the fire.

"I kinda doubt that," Link said as he and Saria laid down to rest.

A few minutes later they were both asleep while their two fairies kept watch. Not two hours later, Navi and Micah started nudging their companions. "Quick, get up!" Navi whispered. "Someone's coming! We have to hide!"

Link and Saria instantly leapt to their feet and found a boulder to hide behind. Not long afterwards, a lone horseman rode into the area. Link, Saria, Navi, and Micah all peeked out from behind the boulder and watched the rider examine the area. He was clothed entirely in tattered, black rags and tarnished silver armor. His horse was also black. He wore a hood, but even that should not have been able to completely hide his face. The only conclusion Link could come to was that it had no face. Over that hood was a menacing helmet with a huge spike jutting out of the forehead, a crown of thorns, and an open mouth that revealed where the Witch-king's face would have been were he not a wraith, giving it the appearance that it was screaming.

They watched the Witch-king guide his steed around the abandoned campsite until he came across the spot where the campfire had been. Gazing down upon the pile of ash, the Witch-king dismounted and knelt down by the campfire's remains. He then slowly ran his armored hand through the ashes and remaining bits of wood. Picking up a piece, he held it before his face, as if trying to guess how long ago it had been burned. Finally he crushed the piece of burnt wood in his fingers and let the remnants fall back to the ground. It was definitely fresh. The Witch-king quickly mounted his horse and shrieked horribly, the sound piercing Link and Saria's ears. They covered their ears and winced in pain as the cry echoed through their skulls. The Witch-king then took off, not realizing he had once again allowed the Hero of Time to escape his grasp.

Link and Saria slowly got up from their hiding place and watched the Black Rider disappear into the night, the dust trail from his horse settling back down to the ground. They looked at one another, the same thought coursing through their minds. Finally Saria dared to say it aloud. "What _was_ that thing?"

Link's heart was pounding so hard that all he could do was shrug. Navi rose into the air and watched the distant Witch-king scour the land. Then she returned to the others. "Well, he's gone now. We better high-tail it over to Lon Lon Ranch before he manages to find us next time!"

With that, they continued their journey. As the sun began to rise out of the night sky, Link saw a familiar sight silhouetted on the horizon. It was Lon Lon Ranch. They had made it!

They began running towards the ranch as fast as their legs could carry them, desperate to reach it as soon as possible. As they reached the entrance, they heard a voice above them say, "And why are you in such a hurry? Hoot!"

Link and Saria both looked up to see a large owl perched on a branch on the tree by them. He had huge eyebrows and beautiful markings. Link smiled. "Hey, Kaepora! It's been a while!"

"Three years, if my memory still serves me well, hoot hoot! So I say again, why are you in such a hurry?"

Saria just stared in awe at the majestic owl as Link said, "Kokiri Forest was attacked the other day, and we came here to get horses so we could go see Princess Zelda and tell her about them."

Kaepora's eyes went from jovial to serious. "Attacked, you say?"

Link nodded. "And I think someone's looking for us too. It's some human-like creature dressed in black riding a black horse. I have a feeling it has something to do with what happened in Kokiri Forest."

"This isn't good news. Go and get your horses, and I will watch for this rider you spoke of."

"Thanks, Kaepora."

Link and Saria then entered Lon Lon Ranch. As they passed the owner's house and the stables, Link noticed a familiar sight before him: the corral where the horses exercised. And out there, tending to the horses, was Malon, the ranch owner's daughter. Link gulped. _Malon. I haven't talked to her in forever! How could I be so callous? I bet she'll probably yell at me for abandoning her, if she even decides to acknowledge my presence._

Link's worries soon subsided as Malon suddenly noticed him and Saria. Her eyes went wide, and she dropped the brush she had been using on one of the horses. She then ran over and almost tackled a startled Link as she wrapped him up in a bear hug. "Link! It's been forever! Where've you been? Why haven't you visited?"

"_Gack_…Malon…can't…breathe," Link choked from within her vice-like grip. "Crushing…me…"

Micah burst into laughter while Saria and Navi just stared at the scene with odd expressions. Just as Link was beginning to turn blue, Malon let him go. Link coughed violently, trying to regain his breath. "Sorry, Malon. I've just been so busy and…"

"Uh huh. Sure."

"Look, Kokiri Forest was attacked the other day, and I need Epona so I can warn Princess Zelda about it. And I need to hurry because someone is pursuing me and I don't want to endanger you."

Malon was taken aback by the news. "Um…O-okay. Play her song. I'll go tell my father."

She then rushed to the house and shut the door. Link reached into his pack and pulled out the Ocarina of Time, the beloved instrument which had saved his life on countless occasions, and played Epona's Song. At the far end of the corral, Epona perked up her ears and trotted over to her master. Link stroked her face affectionately, and Epona whinnied softly. Soon Malon managed to get her father Talon to come outside after she had informed him of the situation. Malon walked up to Link and scratched his head. "Long time, no see, kid. Sorry to hear about that attack. I'll help you anyway I can."

"Thanks, Mr. Talon, but I think I'm…"

Before he could finish that sentence, Kaepora flew in and cried, "The Rider in Black approaches! Hide, quickly! Hoot hoot!"

"Go hide in the stables, you three! I'll handle this," Talon commanded.

Link, Malon, and Saria ran into the stables but left the door ever so slightly ajar to see what was going on. They then watched as the Witch-king rode into Lon Lon Ranch.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: Link vs. the Witch-king**

The Witch-king's horse snorted as the Lord of the Nazgul trotted up to Talon, who simply leaned on his pitchfork and pretended nothing was amiss. "Welcome to Lon Lon Ranch. How can I help you?"

When the Witch-king spoke, his voice sent a chill down everyone's spine. "I am searching for the Hero of Time. Tell me where he is, and I will leave you in peace."

Talon's eyes darted down momentarily towards the Witch-king's sword and then back up at its owner. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said with a smile, trying to shake the feeling of death and despair emanating from this figure. "The Hero of Time hasn't been here for nearly three years."

"You _lie_, old man!" the Nazgul roared. "Do not think for a moment that you can conceal the truth from _me_! I have little patience for such fools! Your face tells me all I need to know. You are hiding him! Tell me where he is cowering _now_, or you shall meet a slow, painful end!"

_Uh oh, Mr. Talon looks like he's treading on thin ice with this guy_, Link thought worriedly as he observed the exchange of words before him. _I hope he knows what he's doing!_

Talon had stopped smiling, realizing trying to fool the Witch-king was a futile effort. "You will not capture him," he told the Nazgul Lord firmly. "Mark my words, he'll see to it that you meet a slow, painful end!"

_Talon, what are you doing_? Link screamed in his mind.

The Witch-king glared at Talon menacingly. "You fool! You have the audacity to threaten me? You do not know death when you see it!"

The Witch-king angrily unsheathed his sword, the blade making an ominous rasping noise at it left the sheath. "I am the Witch-king of Angmar! Die now for your insolence!"

Seeing this, Malon burst out of the door before Link could protest. "Dad! No!"

Before she could reach Talon, though, the Witch-king seized her by the throat and held her aloft. "Malon!" Talon cried, raising his pitchfork to defend her.

The Witch-king sliced the pitchfork in half and struck Talon with the pommel of his sword, knocking the poor man unconscious. "Daddy!" Malon screamed.

The Witch-king turned his head sharply at Malon as he squeezed her throat. "Silence, wench!"

As she started gagging, the Witch-king rode out into the center of the corral, causing the other horses to back away in fear. _No! I'm not going to let him harm Malon_! Link thought as he opened the door and rushed outside. "Link, wait!" Saria whispered, but he was already gone.

"I know you are here, boy! Show yourself, or she shall die!" the Witch-king declared.

Link stood defiantly underneath the entrance to the corral and cried, "Let her go!"

The Witch-king slowly turned his steed around and faced his quarry. "Let her go _now_, Witch-king of…wherever you're from! You want me? Here I am!"

At that moment, Malon lost consciousness, and the Witch-king released his grip on her, allowing Malon to fall to the ground. Beneath his hood, the Witch-king curved his invisible lips upward into a smirk as Link unsheathed his sword and took a defensive stance. _Young fool. It seems I will have to teach him a lesson in manners. This I shall enjoy_!

The Nazgul Lord dismounted and stepped towards Link in all his nightmarish glory. Link gulped in spite of himself. _Something's…off with this guy. He's not like anything I've ever faced. I better be careful with him. That sword looks like it could cut me cleanly in half_!

Navi flew next to her friend, eager to fight alongside him again. The two opponents circled each other, their eyes locked. Finally the Witch-king spoke. "So, you are the Hero of Time that my master has spoken much about. To think that you are merely a boy…This is almost too easy."

"They don't call me 'Hero' for nothing! You think you're so high and mighty just because you can manipulate the powers of darkness and intimidate those who can't defend themselves! Well I got news for you, Witch-king! You're the kind of scum that I'm very good at getting rid of!"

"Prove your worth then, Hero of Time! Show me why the Triforce of Courage chose you as its wielder!"

_H…how does he know about the Triforce_? Link thought worriedly.

The Witch-king gripped his sword with both hands and screeched, searing Link's eardrums. He stumbled back dizzily as the Witch-king charged at him. "Link, move it!" Navi cried. "He's attacking!"

Link recovered and blocked the Witch-king's downward stroke with his Mirror Shield. The strength of the blow threw him back, and the Witch-king slashed at Link's exposed side. The boy deflected with the shield again and rushed at the now-unprotected Witch-king, slashing at his head. The Nazgul Lord leaned back, dodging, and then backhanded Link across the face, sending him sprawling to the ground.

The Witch-king stabbed at Link, who rolled to the side, and the dark blade sank into the ground where he had just been. The Nazgul cursed the boy's dexterity as Link sliced his ankle. He hissed at the shot of pain running up his leg, but the blow was of little significance to him, for he could see it had done more damage to Link, who was now holding his sword-hand in agony. _Heh, stupid boy_, he thought.

But Link was only down; he was definitely not out. As the pain subsided, Link leapt to his feet and held his shield out, making sure his body was well-protected. His sword was ready to jab as soon as the enemy came near, but the Witch-king knew this move well from his days as a mortal king, and his evil master had provided him with a useful counter long ago. The Witch-king smirked as he called forth his spell.

Suddenly, to Link's shock, the Witch-king's sword ignited, the raging flames dancing along the blade ready to consume Link's flesh. Link felt a twinge of fear at his enemy's newest trick. When the Ringwraith stabbed the ground before him, unleashing a wave of flames similar to the Din's Fire spell, one single thought pierced Link's mind. _Oh…shit._

The Hero of Time had only a split-second to think. "Nayru's Love, protect me!" he cried to the heavens.

Suddenly the wall of fire was repelled by a blue crystalline shield that had just appeared around Link. Staring at his foe, Link said, "I'm not without my _own_ powers, y'know."

He gestured at the crystal he was encased in with his sword. "See this shield?" he asked the motionless Witch-king. "It protects me for a short time from any and all attacks, magic or otherwise. So in short, right now I'm invincible. You're screwed."

The Witch-king was silent for a moment, considering his options. Finally he hissed, "Only for a short time. I can still defend!"

Link went on the attack, jabbing at the Witch-king, who, with a mere flick of his wrist, disarmed Link. This didn't stop Link from bashing him across the face with his shield, momentarily disorienting the villain. As the Witch-king was recovering, Link retrieved his sword and came at him again. Too late did he realize that the spell had dissolved, and the Witch-king grabbed Link's face, shoving him back. The boy did a back-flip to save his footing. The Witch-king charged, his two hands grasped firmly on the hilt of his blade. He brought it down full-force on Link's shield, and then reached over and seized it, tossing Link into the air. In the process, Link lost his grip on both of his primary weapons as he tumbled to the hard ground.

Link tried to pick himself up, but was grabbed by his neck before he could do so. The Witch-king brought Link's face close to his and hissed, "You fought well, boy. But this fight is mine, and as victor, I now claim my prize…_YOU_!"

The Witch-king's breath seemed to make Link feel even weaker, and the Nazgul then threw him to the ground. Link didn't even try to get up; he had no strength left. As the Witch-king stalked towards his prone form, Link thought, H-how could I…lose? I'm…the Hero of Time! I can't…I c-can't fail Hyrule…now…Must…get up…"

"Guh!"

The Witch-king had stomped on Link's chest, preventing him from moving. "Stay down, fool. You are beaten. It is useless to continue on. Give me the Triforce of Courage, and I will make your death quick and painless."

With enormous effort, Link lifted his head…and spat in the Witch-king's face. Furious, the Nazgul Lord made to skewer Link, but suddenly, something impaled him in the back, hindering him. The attack was immediately followed by two screams: that of the Witch-king, and that of Malon. She had stabbed the Witch-king with Link's sword, a grave mistake. Malon gripped her hand and fell to her knees, eventually losing consciousness once more. Link suddenly felt a new burst of energy upon seeing this, but did not fail to notice his sword disintegrate down to the hilt, which clattered uselessly to the floor. As quickly as he could, he brought out his bow and fit an arrow on the string. As he pulled back on the string, he whispered, "Honored Goddesses, bless this arrow with the powers of light!"

The arrowhead was immediately consumed by a bright, holy light which made the Witch-king step back. "Take this!" Link cried, releasing the Light Arrow.

The sacred missile flew straight and true into the Witch-king's thigh, enveloping his entire body in its holy power. Link was sure the ensuing shriek from the Witch-king would give him nightmares for weeks. The Witch-king wrenched the arrow out of his body, and watched as it disintegrated in his hand. The light faded, and darkness overtook the Witch-king once more. Considerably weakened, the Witch-king dared not continue this fight, now seeing the boy in a whole new light. The Nazgul turned to Malon's body and hoisted her over his shoulder, running to his horse and slinging her limp form in front of the saddle and remounting. "This isn't over, Hero of Time!" he snarled at a barely-conscious Link. "This has only just begun! You may have bested me, but you will soon fall before the might of my master, Sauron the Great, just as that accursed tree fell to mine!"

Link's heart sank as he realized he was referring to the Great Deku Tree. The Witch-king then galloped out of the camp just as Talon woke up. The poor man watched as the Witch-king fled with his daughter. He ran out into the corral to find all the horses converging on the edge of the corral, and in the middle was a weary Link, and as Talon ran towards him, the Hero of Time finally allowed the sweet darkness of unconsciousness to overtake him, and he collapsed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: A Bargaining Chip for Sauron**

The Witch-king galloped across Hyrule Field as fast as his horse could manage. Malon, still unconscious, was mercilessly jostled by the horse's movement. The Witch-king was unaware that he was being followed, for high above him was Kaepora, who kept a watchful eye on the Ringwraith, knowing that his destination was important. Finally Kaepora saw a massive, crudely-made camp ensconced on the Field, and it appeared that this was the Witch-king's destination. Such a large camp could only mean one thing to Kaepora. _An invasion army_, he realized, horrified. _Link has to know about this_!

The large owl made a U-turn and soared back towards Lon Lon Ranch as the Witch-king entered the camp.

XXXXXX

The Witch-king rode up to Sauron's tent and dismounted, taking Malon with him. As he entered the tent, Sauron noticed him and growled, "You had best have a good reason for this. This is _not_ the Hero of Time."

"No, she is not, my Lord," the Witch-king answered apologetically, tossing Malon at the Dark Lord's feet as he stood from his chair. "But she can still be of use to us."

"Please, enlighten me."

"For every damsel does a hero come, my Lord. This pathetic louse is one of the Hero of Time's friends."

"But she is _NOT_ who I sent you after, you useless ingrate! I ordered you to bring me the Hero, not a peasant!"

"I confronted him, my Lord! I fought against him in single combat! I nearly had victory over him, but it was because of this urchin that he found a way to best me!"

"_What_? My most powerful servant, my most feared minion, the Black Captain himself, defeated by mere children?"

"The boy possesses great power, my Lord! Was it this 'Triforce' you spoke of?"

"It must have been. What powers did he demonstrate?"

"He used a shielding spell that rendered him untouchable for a short time, and he shot me with an arrow of pure light! Still, I left my mark upon him as well."

Sauron sat down in his chair. "I see."

"Allow me to take a squad of Warg Riders back to the ranch where the Hero is recovering so I may have a better chance against him!"

"No. The Triforce of Courage will allow him to recover quickly from his battle with you. For all we know, he has already departed for Hyrule Castle. Intercept him if you can. Meanwhile, I shall begin preparations for a siege of the castle. The first supply run will soon arrive, and I have ordered the Orcs to construct ladders when the wood is received. As for her…"

Sauron tapped Malon with his foot. "…If, through your incompetence, you fail to apprehend him _again_, return to me at once, and we will march to Hyrule Castle. I'll ensure that the boy sees her, and maybe then he will comply with us. As you said, what is a hero without a damsel?"

The Witch-king then bowed and left the tent. As he remounted and galloped out of the camp, he realized he was _really_ starting to hate Link.

XXXXXX

When Link finally opened his eyes, he realized he was inside Malon's house, lying on her bed. Sitting by him was Saria, with Navi and Micah hovering over them. "Ah! He's awake, guys!" Navi cried. "Link, how do you feel?"

Link rubbed his sore head. "H…How long was I out?"

"A couple of hours," Saria answered. "That thing…whatever it was, it gave you a pretty good beating. But while you were out, the Triforce of Courage started drawing out the evil energy in your body that was making you feel weak."

Link immediately looked at his hand, where the Triforce mark was clearly visible. "Thank Farore," Link whispered.

"Link, we need to hurry now," Saria said urgently. "We have to warn the princess. And now that Malon's been captured, the situation's even more precarious!"

"Malon? The Witch-king took her?"

Saria glanced sadly down at the floor. "…I'm afraid so."

Link gritted his teeth and slammed his fist into the mattress, swearing loudly. Raging thoughts coursed through his brain, full of anger, fear, and worst of all, helplessness. _How could I let this happen_? _How could I let someone I care about fall into the hands of someone like the Witch-king_? _Dammit_! _What if he tries to hurt her_? _I have no idea where they've gone_!_ I can't protect her_!..._Dear Farore…I…I failed_.

Saria and Navi both could see the look on Link's face that spoke of sorrow and loss. He didn't see their worried expressions, instead far too focused on his inner struggle. _First Kokiri Forest…then the Great Deku Tree…now Malon…I can't…I couldn't…save them…_

Suddenly another thought pierced his mind, his voice…and yet not his. _No. This is just beginning. I'm the Hero of Time, and a hero never gives up_! _Maybe I couldn't save the Great Deku Tree or Kokiri Forest, but I'll find a way to save Malon, and then I'll teach that Witch-king and his so-called master about why they should have never come here_!

Link clenched his fist and slowly looked up at his companions. "We're going to Hyrule Castle. _Now_."

No one dared question him as he raised himself out of bed and left the room. They then wordlessly followed him out. As Link came down the stairs, he saw Talon sitting on the floor, surrounded by his cuccos, sobbing. Link tentatively stepped towards him and said, "Mr. Talon?"

The old man looked up with red, puffy eyes as he heard Link's voice. "Link…You…you have to help her. Please…Please save Malon before they do something to her!"

"Don't worry, Mr. Talon. I will. You have my word as the Hero of Time."

As Link opened the door and walked out, Saria looked at Talon with pity. "Take care of yourself, Mr. Talon," she said before exiting the house with the two fairies accompanying her.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven: Race Against Time**

Link mounted Epona, and Saria lifted herself awkwardly into the saddle behind him and clasped her arms around Link's midsection to steady herself. "Ready?" Link asked, looking at her.

"Yeah."

Link clicked Epona's side with his heel, and they sped out of the ranch. As they passed the tree outside the entrance, Link heard a familiar voice calling out to him. "Link! Hoot! Link! I bear grim news!"

Link turned to see Kaepora flying towards him. The owl caught up with them and flew overhead, matching their pace. "What is it?" Link asked worriedly.

"I followed the Black Rider. He has taken Malon to a large encampment a fair distance away!"

"A large encampment? Are you saying there's an invasion army in Hyrule?"

"Yes! Many thousands! We must make haste!"

Link looked at Epona and cried, "Come on, Epona. I need you to give it a little more."

Epona, seeming to understand, picked up the pace. An hour had passed, and the distant castle soon became visible on the horizon, when Link suddenly heard a noise that made his blood run cold: a piercing shriek like that of a banshee. Link and Saria looked behind them to see the Witch-king in hot pursuit, whacking his horse's side with the flat of his blade to spur it on. "Never mind! Give it all ya got!"

The two horses raced across the plains at such speeds that it would have made the Running Man jealous. The castle was growing larger and larger, but the Witch-king was also gaining on them. Link was almost sure the Wraith would catch him before he could reach the city gates. Link was almost within reach of the Witch-king's sword. As the Nazgul lifted his sword-arm, Saria shot at him with as strong a blast of Forest Sage magic she could muster. The force of the blow nearly knocked the Witch-king off his saddle, giving her and Link more time. But moments later the Witch-king was on their tail yet again. _Man, this guy's relentless, _Link thought.

The Witch-king's sword went aflame, and he raised his sword over his head. Slashing at the air, he released a fireball at his prey. "Link, to the right!" Navi yelled.

Link swerved Epona to the right, dodging the fireball. The Witch-king tried again. "Left!" Navi cried.

Once again, Epona evaded, angering the Witch-king. He knew he didn't have much time left before the boy would reach the city. Desperate to catch him, the Witch-king attempted to make his steed go faster. Saria saw that he was getting closer again and prepared another blast. Seeing this, the Nazgul Lord screamed at her, forcing her and Link to cover their ears, almost knocking them both off Epona. Link quickly grabbed Epona's reins to steady himself. The Witch-king drew closer.

Castle Town was approaching. The stone walls were now visible.

The Witch-king drew closer.

Link could now make out each individual stone on the wall. He could also see the two guards patrolling the walls.

The Witch-king drew closer.

Now the two horses were neck and neck. Link glanced at the Witch-king as the Wraith raised his sword. Link's eyes widened. He had no way to defend himself from the Witch-king's attack, and he was sure he was about to die. But before the Witch-king could strike, Kaepora dive-bombed him, nearly sending him to the ground. This momentary distraction was all Link needed to make it unhindered into the entrance of Hyrule Castle Town. Kaepora soared over the wall towards the castle. Epona reared as Link tugged on her reins to stop her. Looking behind him, he saw the Witch-king silently staring at him a few hundred yards outside the city walls, his steed anxiously pawing the ground. Link could only imagine the glare existing beneath that hood. Finally the Witch-king turned his horse around and galloped away, disappearing into the distance.

Link and his companions all breathed a sigh of relief at the Witch-king's departure. They entered the town square, ignoring the masses of people surrounding the bazaars lining the streets. They passed the two guards stationed outside the pathway to the castle and met up with Kaepora at the tree near the castle gate. "Link, this is where we part ways for now," the great owl said. "Tell the Royal Family of this threat and ensure the Black Rider and his army are thwarted."

"Will do," Link answered, nodding.

Kaepora then flew off. Link and Saria dismounted and left Epona by the tree as they approached the gate. The guard standing outside the gate said curtly, "What business have you at Hyrule Castle?"

"I need to see Princess Zelda!" Link answered. "It's important!"

"What makes you think the Princess will grant an audience with mere children?"

Link sighed at the man's stuck-up attitude and reached into his pack, pulling out the Ocarina of Time. Upon seeing the magical instrument, the guard's eyes widened. "Th-that's the Ocarina of Time! You're…you're the Hero of Time! Alright, you may pass! Forgive my rudeness!"

The guard tapped the ground with his spear, and the gate opened, allowing them access to the castle. They walked past the embarrassed guard onto the castle courtyard, ignoring the cursory glances of the other palace guards as they approached the drawbridge. Another guard standing outside the castle entrance stepped forward and said, "Have you some business with the King?"

"Yes, and Princess Zelda."

"Very well, follow me to the Throne Room."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight: The History of Sauron**

The Witch-king rode back to base, where the Orcs were busy building ladders while Sauron oversaw construction. Sauron merely glanced at the Witch-king as he said, "I knew you would fail me yet again, Witch-king."

"Forgive me, my Lord."

"No time for that. We will march within the hour. It seems we will have to do this my way."

XXXXXX

Link, Saria, Navi, and Micah walked alongside the guard as he escorted them through the halls towards the Throne Room. The guests all marveled at the stained glass windows casting colorful lights throughout the halls and the grand architecture of the castle interior. Finally they paused outside a large oak door bearing the crest of the Royal Family. "Wait here," the guard said. "King Harkinian and Princess Zelda will be here shortly."

The guard walked off, and the group waited patiently for Zelda to arrive. A few minutes later, Princess Zelda and a rather heavy-set man clad in royal attire approached them, grave looks on their faces. "Link," Zelda said, hugging Link. "It's been too long."

She looked at Saria. "Saria, I wasn't expecting you."

"It's a long story," Saria answered.

"Listen, Zelda," Link began.

"Please come with us. This is a matter we must discuss in private."

Link was a little confused, but decided to follow her and the king to Harkinian's personal chambers. They entered an oak door and gathered around a square table with four chairs. They each took a seat. "So, what brought you and Saria here?" she asked, even though she was certain she already knew.

"Kokiri Forest was attacked a few says ago by creatures I've never seen before…except in my dreams."

Zelda frowned. "Saria and I also were being chased by some rider in black who referred to himself as the Witch-king. He took one of my friends hostage."

Zelda leaned forward. "Did he say he was from Angmar?"

"That's what it was!...Wait, how did you know?"

"I've been having similar dreams. Battles raging throughout Hyrule, the Triforce surrounded by mysterious letters…I believe the Triforce was warning us of an invasion."

"A friend of mine said he came across a large camp in the middle of Hyrule Field."

Zelda sighed. "Then it has already begun."

Zelda looked at the Triforce mark on her wrist before continuing. "The Witch-king serves an extremely powerful Dark Lord named Sauron. Sauron is a Maia, a kind of god who hails from a distant land called Middle-earth. He's one of the most powerful enemies of the people who live there. So powerful, in fact, that his strength is superior to that of a Triforce wielder."

Link's face paled. "That's…not possible."

"He also wields a ring infused with his own power. With it, he was able to seduce nine kings of men and transformed them into the Nazgul, his most powerful servants. The Witch-king is one of them, and also their chief, making him Sauron's second-in-command. However, he is nothing compared to Sauron."

"Let me guess," Link said matter-of-factly. "He's here to claim the Triforce and take over the world, right?"

"Yes, Link. But his powers are said to be equal to that of the Triforce."

"No way! That isn't possible! Nothing's more powerful than the Triforce!"

I didn't say more powerful, Link. But it's equal in strength."

Now Harkinian spoke. "Link, listen closely. While they may be equal when it comes to offensive power, if Sauron is able to seize the three parts of the Triforce, they will still grant him the power to enslave Hyrule and the world beyond it. We cannot let that happen. He will do worse things to Hyrule than Ganondorf ever could."

"So, what is this ring you were talking about?" Saria queried.

"It's called the One Ring. Sauron made it to corrupt other rings of power he had given to the three chief races of Middle-earth when he had disguised himself as an Elf. He managed to destroy the Dwarf-lords and turn the human kings into the Nazgul, but he failed with the Elves."

At that moment, Impa burst open the door. "My Liege, an army of immense size is approaching the castle. They bear banners I've never seen before."

Everyone felt a lump in their throats. Sauron had come.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine: Battle of Hyrule Castle**

A sense of dread gripped everyone at the news. Harkinian was the first to snap back to attention. "Impa, call out the city, the militia, and any off-duty soldiers in the town! Prepare for battle!"

Impa nodded and ran out the door. Link and Saria shot out of their seats and made to follow the Sheikah. "Don't worry, Zelda!" Link assured her. "We won't let Sauron get his hands on the Triforce!"

He and Saria were gone in a flash. "It's you I'm worried about," Zelda whispered. "Please, for the sake of Hyrule, be careful…"

XXXXXX

When Link and Saria reached Castle Town, it was late afternoon, and the town square was bereft of civilians. Instead, hundreds of soldiers of various armament were racing towards their positions under Impa's direction. As they ran up to Impa, the Sage of Shadow saw them and said, "I must return to the castle to protect the Princess. I leave you to help lead the soldiers. You fighting at their side will provide a much-needed morale boost."

Impa handed Link a sword and then took off back towards the castle while Link and Saria made their way up to the wall. They ignored the warriors who cheered for the Hero of Time as they witnessed a horrible sight. Innumerable creatures much like the ones that had attacked Kokiri Forest marched in a single unruly mass, a colossal seething rabble driven by savage bloodlust. Their iron footsteps pounded the ground below them so harshly that the noise reverberated across the landscape like the drums of the apocalypse.

The army of Orcs scuttled closer to the city walls like cockroaches advancing on a rotting slab of meat. Link's eyes widened as he saw several dozen more Trolls and large wolves amongst the Orcish hordes. Then his gaze fell upon two figures at the head of the armies of Mordor. He immediately recognized the Witch-king, but not the one next to him. This man stood nearly twice as tall as the average Hylian. He wore thick, heavy-plate armor that formed ugly patterns of spikes, curves, and straight lines; a black, tattered cape; and a helmet which completely covered his face. The helmet had several large spikes reaching out towards the sky like claws and flukes running down each side of the helmet, giving it a shape eerily reminiscent of a horse's skull. He carried with him a mace of great size, with six angular blades jutting out from the head. As Link stared at the mace, he noticed something else: a golden ring with glowing writing on his index finger. _That must be Sauron_, Link realized. _Dear Nayru, he's huge_!

Finally the army of Orcs, Trolls, and Warg Riders halted before the city walls, just out of bowshot. The yellow eyes of the Orcs gazed hungrily at the Hylian defenders as Sauron took a bold step forward. He planted his feet at the edge of the moat and stared at the waiting soldiers. "People of Hyrule!" he shouted, his deep voice resonating across the land. "I am the Dark Lord Sauron! I have come for the Triforce your royal family holds dear! Deliver to me now your princess and the Hero of Time, or condemn yourselves to death!"

As he said this, the Witch-king was scanning the battlements, seeking the Hero who had eluded him three times. When he saw Link, he pointed his finger at him and unleashed a scream laced with intense hatred and fury. Soldiers covered their ears and yelped. Even the Orcs cringed slightly. Sauron turned his head towards the Witch-king. "It is he!" the Nazgul snarled, pointing towards Link.

Sauron followed his servant's gaze until his eyes also fell on Link. Link felt a twinge of fear as he realized they were both staring at him. "So you are the Hero of Time, then?" Sauron queried. "The stories made you seem older. How is it that a mere child possesses the Triforce of Courage?"

Link gritted his teeth. "You won't get your hands on it!" he challenged. "But you're welcome to try!"

Sauron tightened his grip on his mace, but otherwise kept his composure. "Tell me, Hero. Do you remember this young woman?"

As he said this, two large Orcs escorted a still unconscious Malon to Sauron's side. "Malon!"

"Convince your friends to surrender, and she lives."

"Whatever you did to her, you're gonna pay for it!" Link yelled, stringing his bow and fitting an arrow on the string.

"Very well, then! Delay all you please, but your fate is now sealed!"

He nodded at the Orcs, who dragged Malon back to the rear of his forces. With that out of the way, Sauron raised his mace over his head and yelled, "Attack!"

The Orcs surged forward in a rolling wave, ready to devour all that stood in their way. The commander of the Hylian forces drew his sword. "Archers to the ready!"

Link and the Hylian archers aimed at the Orcs swarming below them. When the commander gave the order, Link's arrow was the first to fly, biting into Orc flesh. The others followed suit, falling upon the Orcs like acid rain. From within the ranks, Orc archers answered with volleys of their own, and some ended up finding their mark, sending unfortunate Hylians to their deaths. Amidst the chaos, Orc sappers hoisted ladders teeming with their comrades onto the castle walls, forcing most of the Hylians to drop their bows and conduct the fight at close quarters.

Link saw the Orc coming over the wall just before it tackled him. Link desperately tried to keep the grotesque creature's gnashing teeth at bay as he reached for his sword. Finally he closed his fingers around the hilt, unsheathed it, and drove it into the Orc's skull, killing it instantly. Saria used her Sage powers to knock Orcs off the walls, while Navi and Micah dive-bombed other Orcs, blinding them with their light. With the Hylians sufficiently distracted, Sauron employed the next phase of his strategy. A Troll approached the drawbridge and began pounding on it with a hammer. Hylians were hard-pressed to hold off the Orcs scaling the walls and simultaneously fire arrows at the beast.

Link felt the shaking from the Troll's attack as he slew another Orc. Noticing a small group of soldiers trying to fend off the Orcs and fire at the Troll at the same time, he made his way through the furious melee towards them, cutting down any Orc that strayed in his path. Soon he managed to reach the group. "Need a hand?" he shouted over the din of battle.

"We need some cover!" one of the soldiers yelled. "Keep these things off us so we can bring down that monster before it destroys the drawbridge!"

Link nodded and proceeded to draw the Orcs' attention while the soldiers concentrated their fire on the Troll. Yet no matter how many arrows pierced its hide, it continued battering the drawbridge until it finally snapped from the pressure and collapsed, forming a path for the Orcs. Its lifelong goal completed, the Troll keeled over, finally dead.

With a squad of Warg Riders in the lead, the Orcs charged into Hyrule Castle Town, crying out in victory as they spied Hyrule Castle in the distance. At that moment, Hylian knights on horseback poured into the market from the alleyways and engaged the surprised Orcs. In rode the Lord of the Nazgul, his sword raised high. Flames ran down the blade, and wherever the Witch-king went, the horses blanched and swerved away, giving the Orcs hope and the Hylians despair. Link jostled past struggling warriors in an effort to reach the Witch-king and take him out before he could do much damage, but the Orcs were not making it easy for him. In the midst of the carnage, Saria could see Link approaching the town center where the Witch-king was hacking his way through the knights like a messenger of death. As she began making her way towards him to help him out, Micah saw someone advancing towards Link.

It was Sauron.

"Saria, look!" Micah cried.

Saria caught a glimpse of the Dark Lord closing the distance between himself and Link, the other soldiers too frightened to even take a step towards him. If he managed to capture Link, it would spell doom for Hyrule. Knowing she could not reach Link before Sauron, she formed a ball of green forest energy in her hand and threw it at him. Sauron turned his head and caught the ball, holding it in his hand for a moment. Suddenly dark energy began coiling around the ball like a foul poison before Sauron hurled it at Link. "Link, look out!" Saria screamed.

Too late.

The energy ball struck Link, flinging him through the air like a toy. Saria watched, horrified, as Link crashed into a wall and slumped to the ground, defeated. Navi was by Link's side in an instant, trying desperately to wake him up. Suddenly, she began to feel very weak. She looked up and saw Sauron looming over them. She could not be near such powerful evil for long. "Hang in there, Link!" she whispered. "I'll come back for you!"

With that, she flew off to a safer place where she could watch Link without being weakened by Sauron's evil aura. Saria charged up another energy attack, but Sauron saw it coming and leveled a blast of dark energy in her direction, knocking her out. Micah flitted over to Saria's still form, terrified. "Saria! _Saria_!"

The Witch-king spurred his horse towards Saria, forcing Micah to abandon her in order to avoid his dark aura. In a single, swift motion, the Witch-king dismounted, grabbed Saria by the scruff of her neck, tossed her onto his saddle, and remounted. Micah and Navi could only look on with despair as the Orcs slowly drove the Hylians out of the town and finally forced them to retreat towards the castle.

XXXXXX

Zelda and Impa watched from the balcony as the defenders of Hyrule fled towards the castle, desperate to escape Sauron's onslaught. The drawbridge had been lowered for them, and the tattered remnants of the Hylian army wasted no time in taking shelter within. As the Orc host approached, the drawbridge was lifted up. The Orcs stopped and began jeering and shouting curses at the beleaguered Hylians, but became deathly silent as Sauron strode forward and stood before the drawbridge, raising him arms over his head. Courtesy of the Triforce of Wisdom, Zelda could sense a dark power accumulating around Sauron, which he channeled into a swirling mass of pure annihilation. With a mighty roar, Sauron sent the energy hurtling into the drawbridge, shattering it to fragments. The wood settled in the moat, forming makeshift stepping stones which the Orcs quickly took advantage of.

"Come, princess," Impa said, ushering her inside.

Chaos erupted throughout Hyrule Castle as the Hylians did battle with the Orcs. The King rallied his men together and took the fight to the Orcs. This time, there would be no retreat. As the battle raged throughout the castle, Zelda and Impa waited in the Throne Room with the Royal Guards, the best trained soldiers Hyrule had to offer. Zelda wielded a rapier with a golden hilt made for her by the royal blacksmith with a Triforce symbol on the pommel. Suddenly they heard Orcs outside the door trying to break in and assumed fighting stances. The banging ceased for a moment, and then the door flew off its hinges with a resounding crash. The Witch-king burst into the room and wailed, the intensity of the noise so great it knocked Impa unconscious.

Before Zelda could react, Orcs flooded the Throne Room and pounced on the Royal Guards. The fight was short but brutal. The Guards' training allowed them to kill many Orcs with ease, but there were simply too many, and the Guards were soon overrun and slaughtered. Zelda now stood alone, using her Triforce powers and her sword simultaneously against the endless tide of Orcs. Finally the Witch-king hissed, "Enough! His Lordship wants her alive!"

Immediately the Orcs backed away. Zelda felt Sauron's presence even before he entered the room. Upon seeing him, she thought to herself, _Dear Nayru, he's even taller than Ganondorf_! _And I can sense so much power…so much…evil…_

Sauron stood in front of her and folded his arms. "Zelda, princess of Destiny, I am…"

"I know who you are, Sauron, Lord of the Ring! How dare you threaten our homes with your thirst for conquest!"

"Silence, fool! You have one of the three Triforce shards, and I want it! Surely the carrier of the Triforce of Wisdom would understand that."

"You'll never have it!"

Sauron snickered coldly. "Are you certain of that, Princess? Why don't we see what your friends have to say about that?"

He nodded to the Witch-king, who looked outside the door and hissed, "Bring them!"

A group of Orcs entered with Link, Saria, and Malon, all three of whom were tightly bound and gagged. _No, _Zelda thought in horror.

Sauron turned to Zelda. "I also know you are capable of opening the gateway to Sacred Realm. You will open it and bring me the bearer of the Triforce of Power. It would be in their best interests if you cooperated."

The Witch-king offered an example by pointing the tip of his blade at Link's neck. Link and Saria could not speak, but Zelda could see their eyes pleading with her not to give in to Sauron's demands. "They will not be the only ones who suffer," Sauron added. "I can do to all of Hyrule what I can do to your friends!"

She knew what Sauron said was true. _What do I do_? she pondered sadly. _If I refuse, he'll kill Link. If I comply, I will be handing the entire Triforce to Sauron. What do I do_?

She could only imagine the magnitude of destruction Sauron was capable of causing, and she then realized she had no other choice. "Well?" Sauron inquired.

Zelda bowed her head as tears began streaming down her cheeks. "As you wish…"

She slowly raised her arms towards the heavens as she called upon the powers of the Triforce of Wisdom. The Triforce symbol on her wrist lit up like the sun as an ethereal hole opened up before them. The Orcs took a step back in awe and terror as the gateway to the Evil Realm took shape. Sauron, the Witch-king, and their prisoners were still as statues as they anticipated Ganondorf's inevitable arrival. Finally, a pulsating noise erupted from the portal as someone slowly emerged from within. Zelda and Link recognized him instantly.

It was Ganondorf.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten: Dark Lord vs. Dark Lord**

Ganondorf stood before Zelda, smirking triumphantly. At first he didn't seem to notice Sauron or the others as he addressed Zelda. "So, Princess," he sneered. "How is the great kingdom of Hyrule faring? Has it fallen apart due to its lack of my leadership?"

Ganondorf started laughing, but he was sharply cut off. "Well, well, well, the great Ganondorf, the self-proclaimed King of Darkness," Sauron interrupted menacingly. "At last we meet."

Finally Ganondorf took notice of him. "Who are you?" the Gerudo King demanded.

"Alas for you, I am the future of Hyrule…and the world. You hold the Triforce of Power. Give it to me…_now_."

Insulted by Sauron's impudence, Ganondorf narrowed his eyes. "How _dare_ you threaten me! Just who do you think you're dealing with? I am the Dark Lord Ganondorf!"

"Dark Lord? Please. Your magic amounts to little against my power. Allow me to show you who it is you are dealing with. I am the Dark Lord Sauron!"

Dark magic began gathering around Ganondorf's fists. "You will die by those words!"

Ganondorf unleashed a wave of dark energy at Sauron. Wielding the powers of the One Ring, Sauron held his hand out and absorbed the blast, infusing it with some of his own power before sending it back at Ganondorf, who took it fully in the chest. Ganondorf was sent flying into Harkinian's throne, knocking it over with a dazed Ganondorf in the seat. Ganondorf shook his head and rose to his feet. He raised his hand and charged a ball of energy. Crying out in anger, he launched it at Sauron, who brought out his mace and struck it, the energy rebounding at Ganondorf. Ganondorf was hit by his own attack, and was stunned. Sauron ran up to Ganondorf and hit him in the chest with his mace, smashing Ganondorf into the wall, dislodging several bricks upon impact. Ganondorf slumped to the ground and gasped. Then he was on his feet again, ready for more. Or so he thought.

Sauron unleashed a burst of lightning from his fingertips. Ganondorf attempted to shield himself with his magic cape, but the strength of the blow overcame his defenses, and he was once again flung back into the wall. As Sauron strode towards him, Ganondorf unsheathed his Gerudo sword, and the two Dark Lords clashed. Ganondorf swung at Sauron's head, and the Lord of the Ring deflected it with his gauntlet and kicked Ganondorf in the ribs, knocking him back again. Ganondorf did a back flip and came at Sauron again. Sauron blocked Ganondorf's thrust and shot another lightning blast at him. Ganondorf fell to the ground, losing his grip on his sword. Shaking off his weariness, he leapt at Sauron, fist raised.

Amused, Sauron tossed aside his mace to even the odds as Ganondorf descended upon him. When the Gerudo was close enough, Sauron grabbed him by the wrist and flung him over his shoulder. Ganondorf landed on his feet and roundhouse-kicked Sauron in the head. This only made Sauron stumble a little, and as Ganondorf jumped at him, Sauron grabbed him by the neck and slammed Ganondorf's head into the wall repeatedly. Weakened and dizzy, Ganondorf went limp. "You have proven to be a most interesting opponent, Sauron said, tightening his grip on Ganondorf's neck. "But you are beginning to waste my time. I have a world to conquer, and I am not about to let anyone, especially a pathetic excuse of a Dark Lord like you, stand in my way!"

Ganondorf then let out a bloodcurdling scream as he burst into flames. Sauron then tossed Ganondorf over to Zelda. The flames dissipated, and Ganondorf felt the last of his strength give out. Everyone watched in horror as Ganondorf, the most powerful dark wizard in all of Hyrule, collapsed on his back in defeat.

Sauron walked over to Ganondorf and stamped down on his chest. "It is over, fools!" he roared victoriously. "The Triforce is mine!"

He threw his head back and laughed cruelly. Ganondorf's vision cleared, and he saw Sauron standing over him, his foot firmly on his chest. _I…can't…believe it_, he thought in agony. _I am…Ganondorf…King of Evil…How could I…lose…_?

For the second time in his life, he felt completely helpless. This was a feeling he loathed more than anything else in the world. He glanced at Zelda and saw a look of despair etched on her face. Sauron ceased laughing, bent down, and reached for Ganondorf's wrist, intending to channel the Triforce of Power directly into the One Ring. Victory was literally within his grasp.

Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass was heard directly above them. All eyes watched as a large owl accompanied by two fairies dove through the shattered window and dove at a shocked Sauron. Kaepora slammed into Sauron's chest, knocking him off Ganondorf. The Orcs holding Link and his friends captive were so distracted by the sudden excitement that they accidentally let their guard down, and Link took advantage of their confusion and head-butted the Orc behind him, cutting his ropes with its sword.

Immediately chaos reigned as Link retrieved his sword and shield and quickly dispatched Saria and Malon's guards. Ganondorf managed to regain some of his strength and grabbed his sword just before the Witch-king swung at him, and he deflected the attack. Zelda and Saria began using their magic again, cutting through the confused Orcs like a hot knife through butter. Sauron raised a shield around himself to ward off Kaepora's beak and talons as he beheld the carnage. The Witch-king was furiously attempting to disarm Ganondorf, and the Gerudo King was barely keeping the Nazgul Lord at bay. The combined prowess of Link, Zelda, and Saria were sowing seeds of destruction amongst the Orcs, tearing them apart piece by painful piece.

Finally they panicked and scattered, realizing they were no match for the ferocity of their enemies. Both Sauron and the Witch-king noticed this. Sauron glared momentarily at Link before disappearing in a burst of fire. The Witch-king shrieked at Ganondorf before disengaging him and fleeing with his cohorts, leaving Ganondorf gasping for breath and leaning precariously on his sword. Everyone else was just as exhausted but relieved as they heard the sounds of Orcs retreating from the castle. Eventually, silence enveloped the halls. Everyone's eyes were now on Ganondorf, waiting to see what he would do. Finally, the dark king toppled and fell to the floor.

Zelda scanned his body with her magic and said, "It seems he has rendered himself in some kind of catatonic state. I think it's some sort of healing trance."

"Let's kill him right now and be rid of him for good!" exclaimed Link.

He knew this was the perfect opportunity to rid Hyrule of its nemesis permanently, and he was ready to take it. However, his hopes were soon dashed. "No," Zelda replied.

Link was stunned. "What? Why? After everything he's done in the past, you're willing to let him live? Are you _insane_?"

"Link, don't you understand? As much as I dislike it myself, we need Ganondorf. He is one of the Triforce carriers chosen by the goddesses, but we all saw what Sauron did to him! Even he was no match for him!"

"I don't see how it's possible," Saria interjected. "We spent so much effort to seal Ganondorf. Even with his ring, how is Sauron more powerful than Ganondorf?"

"Sauron is, in literal terms, a lesser god. Ganondorf is blessed with the power of our goddesses, but that does not make him a god. It is the same with Link and I. We bear parts of the Triforce, but we are no more gods than Ganondorf. Neither of us would have fared any better against Sauron."

Link glared at Ganondorf. "If that's true, then we don't stand a chance against him."

"No. There is a way to fight back. In the past, the Triforce has been divided due to our conflict with Ganondorf. If we were to work together towards a common goal, I believe the Triforce will lend us its full power and give us a chance against Sauron!"

Link thought about this for a moment, then bowed his head. "I don't like it. Not…one…bit. But if it's necessary in order to protect Hyrule, then I guess that leaves us with no other choice."

At that moment, King Harkinian entered the Throne Room, saw Ganondorf lying on the floor, and cried a mighty oath. "_What in Din's name is he doing here_?"

Impa, meanwhile, was beginning to regain consciousness. She shook her head and slowly got to her feet. Noticing Ganondorf, she mused, "This greatly complicates matters."

"You don't know the half of it," Link answered.

Zelda went to Ganondorf's side and said, "Sauron forced me to release Ganondorf so he could claim the Triforce of Power. Ganondorf tried to resist, but was overpowered."

Harkinian gripped his sword, still dripping with black Orc blood, and stared at Ganondorf hatefully. It was obvious he wanted to execute Ganondorf where he lay. Sensing this, Zelda pleaded, "No, father! We need him alive! Since he wields the Triforce of Power, we need him in the fight against Sauron! It's the only way we can defend ourselves. Please, listen to my words…"

"How do you know he won't attack us as soon as he's awake?" the King challenged.

"If I know Ganondorf well enough, he'll rather help us than let Sauron take what he believes is his."

Harkinian was silent for a long time before he conceded. "Very well. But I want to keep some guards nearby…in case he tries to…"

"Father, Link and I can handle ourselves if he attempts to pull off one of his dirty tricks. Also, there are two Sages here with us to add to our power. And as I said before, I think he will find it in his best interests if he cooperated, as I doubt he would like it if Sauron took Hyrule and the Triforce away from him."

The King was hesitant, but finally agreed. Then Link turned to Malon, who was still unconscious, and ran to her side. "Malon! Can you hear me? Please, wake up!"

Zelda knelt by Malon as well and put a hand on her head. "Link, I can sense a dark power of some kind acting like some kind of poison. Stand back. I will try to heal her."

Link did as he was told, and Zelda's hand was enveloped in a golden light which trailed down into Malon. When it subsided, Malon's eyes fluttered open. "Wh…what happened?"

Link wrapped her up in a bear hug. "Malon! Thank the goddesses! You're all right!"

"Agh, my head," Malon groaned.

"I think we could all use some rest," Harkinian said. "I will have the soldiers clean up the bodies."

The King then left. Zelda and Link each put an arm around one of Ganondorf's shoulders and escorted him and Malon to the medical wing. Kaepora took his leave and flew out the window.

XXXXXX

The Orc armies retreated back to their city-camp, where they regrouped and reformed. Sauron and the Witch-king were at the moment extremely unhappy about the recent turn of events that had transpired at Hyrule Castle. As they returned to Sauron's tent, Sauron threw his mace upon the ground in anger before slumping down in his chair. "I was so close! I almost had the Triforce! I was only mere seconds away from snatching victory only to have it whisked away by a wretched _bird_! Curse this infernal land!"

The Witch-king listened to his master brood before saying, "Our armies are still great, My Lord. If we strike in multiple areas, we can eliminate potential allies who might rally to their cause. Then they will be unable to muster enough forces to resist us."

Sauron looked at his most loyal minion. "How many soldiers do we still have at our disposal?"

"One hundred eighty-thousand Orcs, thirty-four Trolls, and three divisions of Warg cavalry with forty units each," the Witch-king listed.

Sauron snickered, his breath whistling through the nasal holes in his helmet. "More than enough to eliminate these pathetic rats. See that this is done."

The Witch-king nodded and left the tent. He approached a small group of Orc commanders who had been bragging about how many enemies their battalions had slain. This banter ceased when they noticed the Witch-king. "Gather your warriors together. His Lordship has a task for you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Just to let all my readers know, I'm putting this story on hiatus for a few weeks in order to catch up on college work. I wrote this at the expense of my studying time. Go me. If I'm going to continue this story, I have to get all this done. In the meantime, just wait patiently.**

**Don't you just hate cliffhangers? D:**


	11. Chapter 11

**Finally, I'm back, and with a new chapter ready for my loyal readers!**

Sauron: Well, you certainly took your sweet time.

**Me: STFU. Anyway, I managed to sort out all that college shit, so I'm back on track.**

Ganondorf: Get on with the frickin' story!

**Me: FINE!**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Chapter Eleven: The Board is Set**

Deep within the Sacred Realm, the Sage of Light, Rauru, watched the events unfold from within the Chamber of the Sages. His heart was heavy as he witnessed the beginnings of what he knew would be a long and bloody war. He lamented the fact that the forest was being destroyed for Sauron's dark goals, that the castle had suffered a devastating attack, and especially that Ganondorf was free. He also felt that Ganondorf would rather work with his enemies than let Sauron claim Hyrule and the Triforce for himself, but he knew that Ganondorf was a wild card; they wouldn't know for certain what to expect from him in the coming days.

As Rauru pondered these events, he suddenly noticed that several battalions of Orcs were issuing forth from Sauron's camp and heading off in different directions. With a start, he realized they were being sent towards the various strongholds of the other primary races of Hyrule. That could mean only one thing; Sauron was trying to cut off potential reinforcements. What made it worse was that they were as of yet unaware of Sauron's presence. Rauru knew the damage Sauron would cause would be incomprehensible. There was only one thing he could do to prepare them for the impending attack. He called upon the powers at his disposal and opened a telepathic link with Ruto, Darunia, and Nabooru. _Ancient Sages of Hyrule…Hyrule is in danger. Your homes are in danger! A new evil is on the verge of annihilating your cities! Be ready to defend yourselves!_

Not long after, he received a response from Nabooru. _What? Hyrule's under threat again? By who?_

_He is called Sauron, the Dark Lord of the black lands of Mordor and an evil greater than Ganondorf himself!_

_Th-that's not possible! _Ruto exclaimed. _Ganondorf is the most evil thing in Hyrule!_

_Sauron is not from Hyrule, _Rauru responded.

_So this Sauron guy's the one responsible for that attack on Kokiri Forest? _Darunia questioned.

_Yes. And his most powerful minion was also responsible for the death of the Great Deku Tree. Sauron's minions now control the Lost Woods and have established a lumber camp there._

Darunia, Nabooru, and Ruto all felt anger brewing within them. _And Sauron also was brazen enough to attack Hyrule Castle itself, and he forced Princess Zelda to release Ganondorf for the purpose of claiming the Triforce of Power. Sauron managed to defeat him. Such is the extent of his power._

The other Sages were struck dumb. Rauru sighed. _Enough of this. Time is short. Sauron has sent thousands of enemies in your direction. You must fight them off at all costs!_

_But what about Ganondorf? _ Ruto asked.

_I believe Ganondorf will firmly oppose the Dark Lord, but whether he will do so at our side remains to be seen. Now go!_

Rauru broke off his connection with the Sages and then prepared to set up another one with Saria.

XXXXXX

Link, Saria, Navi, Micah, and Zelda were keeping a watch on Ganondorf as he lay in stasis in the medical wing. Zelda could sense that Ganondorf's regenerative state was nearing completion, meaning he would wake soon. Everyone was on edge; after all, the mortal enemy of Hyrule was lying there asleep right in front of them. As they stood there, Saria suddenly felt a familiar voice enter her mind: Rauru.

_Saria, Sage of Forest, Sauron is sending several thousand soldiers throughout Hyrule to destroy the other races. You must inform Link of this immediately and stop the attack!_

Saria turned to Link and said, "I just received a telepathic message from Rauru. He said Sauron's sent soldiers towards the other cities!"

Their eyes widened. "He must be trying to prevent the other races from reinforcing us!" Zelda exclaimed, horrified.

Link felt a cold chill crawl up his spine. "If he succeeds, Hyrule will wind up defenseless! Nothing would stop Sauron from tearing us apart!"

Zelda rubbed her chin, deep in thought. "Maybe…maybe we can get some help from somewhere else, somewhere Sauron's influence has not yet been cast."

"Like where?" Link asked.

"Three years ago, you went to a neighboring country and saved it from destruction, am I not correct?"

"You mean Termina?" Link recalled.

Zelda nodded. "Sauron hasn't attacked them yet, but if Hyrule falls, they will surely follow. If I remember correctly, you helped a great many people there. I think they would feel obligated to aid us as payment for your services."

"I know someone who'd be really useful," Link said with excitement. "The King of Ikana! I rescued his kingdom from one of Majora's curses. He's got an entire army behind him! He'd be sure to help us!"

Zelda was silent for a moment. "Link, didn't you say the inhabitants of Ikana Kingdom were all _undead_?"

"Yeah, so?"

"How do you think the soldiers would react?"

"I can bet all my rupees they'll be welcomed more than Ganondorf's minions. Give it some time, and all their differences will be forgotten."

"You sound so reassuring," Navi said, not entirely convinced.

Just then, Ganondorf began to stir. Everybody tensed as the King of Evil's eyes opened wide. He groaned as he slowly lifted himself into a sitting position. "Grrgh…How did this happen?" he hissed to himself, rubbing his forehead. "Back in Hyrule only to be beaten to within an inch of life. I'm the King of Darkness! How could I have lost to that oversized tin can?"

"Well, considering he's a god with more power than a Triforce holder, it's to be expected," Link said.

Ganondorf snapped to attention at the sound of Link's voice. That's when he realized where he was. He glared murderously at his visitors, and Link had to resist the urge to draw his sword. "Why am I here?" the Gerudo King demanded.

"Because we wouldn't be able to keep a closer eye on you in the dungeons," Link answered with a pointed tongue.

Ganondorf then realized something. "You…you had the perfect opportunity to dispose of me, yet you didn't…" He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Why?"

"Because we need you alive," Zelda responded calmly. "You, as the chosen Keeper of the Triforce of Power, are key to Hyrule's salvation. All three of us are needed to fight the one who easily defeated you."

"Is that so? For the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, you certainly have the capacity to make foolish mistakes."

Ganondorf smirked. "You should be grateful we let you live!" Navi yelled.

Ganondorf's glare shifted to the fairy floating over Link's head. "Why should I be grateful to these upstart whelps?"

Navi was about to answer, but Link stopped her. "Navi, not now."

"You may not be aware of this now, Ganondorf, but if Sauron were to take over Hyrule, everything you wished to rule would be destroyed. All that would remain would be a charred, barren wasteland. Most of the people would be dead. I don't even want to think about what would become of the Gerudo."

Ganondorf stiffened. "No! I will not let him do such a thing! I will not allow the fertility of this land I wish to control be wiped from existence by this intruder!"

"Then fight with us," Zelda said. "You held many monsters under your thrall. With them at our side, we might be able to withstand the many thousands of creatures that serve Sauron."

Ganondorf cursed to himself. There was no way he was going to let Sauron take over Hyrule. Hyrule was _his_. And if Sauron dared bring harm to his people…

"…Very well, I accept. But this does not change a thing. Once this is over, I'll have my revenge on _all_ of you!"

"Yeah, whatever," Micah sighed.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve: The Siege of Hyrule**

When the Orcs arrived at Gerudo's Fortress, they were quite unprepared for the welcoming committee they received courtesy of the Gerudo. Battle commenced, and many Orcs fell before the Gerudo's ferocity. But their sheer weight of numbers gave the forces of Mordor an overwhelming advantage, and they began forcing the Gerudo back towards their adobe stronghold. The Gerudo desperately tried to prevent the Orcs from outflanking them, but there were simply not enough of them to offer effective resistance, and they eventually retreated into the fortress and barricaded the entrances.

XXXXXX

When the Orcs reached Zora's Domain, they were utterly confused as to how they would manage to enter the place. The waterfall barred all access to the Zora city. Finally one Troll got the bright idea to lean over the entrance and let the water rush over its back, diverting the flow and opening the way. The Orcs jumped across the gap and proceeded with the invasion. Scores of Zoras rushed out to meet them, and soon the walls, floor, and even the water became stained with the blood of Zoras and Orcs. Some Orcs slipped, fell into the water, and drowned in the furious melee. But they pressed on, and they started overwhelming the Zoras.

XXXXXX

Darunia and the Gorons reached Kakariko Village only an hour before the Orcs did. Darunia quickly warned everyone of the imminent attack, but at first they didn't believe him. However, a man who had been standing on the tall tower that overlooked the village suddenly noticed the large column of Orcs approaching the town. He leaned over the railing and shouted to everyone below him, "He's right! There's an army of monsters coming straight at us!"

The soldier in charge of the village garrison then ordered all the civilians inside and all his men to prepare for battle. The villagers panicked and retreated to the safety of their homes.

The attack was devastating. Upon their arrival, the Orcs relentlessly threw themselves at the defenders, fighting more like rabid animals than soldiers. Those defenders who fell were mercilessly hacked apart even as they lay dead. Their brute savagery was more than the defenders could withstand, and for each Orc that was slain, another sprang forth to take its place. Darunia slammed his fist into the ground, dislodging several rocks. These he picked up and threw at the Orc hordes, inflicting numerous casualties. This did little to hinder the Orcs, and they continued to advance. The only advantage the defenders had that they were exploiting was the fact that the entrance to Kakariko Village was narrow, forcing the Orcs into a bottleneck. But numbers were on the Orcs' side, and Darunia knew in his heart that it wouldn't be long before they were overrun.

XXXXXX

After taking her leave of Link and Zelda, Saria transported herself to the Sacred Forest Grove, where the other Kokiri were already waiting for her. As she approached them, Mido stepped forth and said, "So what are we gonna do?"

"We're going to drive those monsters under Sauron's command out of the woods!" she answered firmly.

"How we gonna do that, Saria?" one of the Know-It-All Brothers asked.

Saria tapped her chin, thinking. After a few moments, she turned to her brethren and said, "Okay, here's what we're going to do."

XXXXXX

From the deepest, darkest corners of Hyrule, they came forth to heed Ganondorf's call. Moblins, Stalfos, Lizalfos, and all manner of beasts flocked to Hyrule's capital to answer their master's call. Outside the gates were the remaining Hylian warriors who defended the country. The monsters at first expected a fight, but were surprised when they discovered their leader at the head of the Hylian forces. Even greater was their surprise when they noticed Link and Zelda standing on either side of him. Many on both sides struggled to refrain from drawing their weapons. Ganondorf walked forward and addressed an Iron Knuckle who appeared to be leading a large group of monsters. "You, what's your name?"

The Iron Knuckle shifted slightly and replied, "I am Kraug, the leader of these happy folks here."

The gigantic animated suit of armor gestured behind him at the group of monsters. It was then Kraug noticed Link. "Lord Ganondorf, you do realize your mortal enemy is standing right behind you, right?"

"Of course I realize that, you fool!" Ganondorf growled.

Then the Gerudo King raised his voice for all monsters to hear. "Now listen closely! Hyrule is under attack by another Dark Lord who has the potential to completely destroy this country! As future ruler of Hyrule, it is my duty to ensure Hyrule's salvation!"

"Someone's full of himself," Link muttered, earning a murderous glare from Ganondorf.

"As such, the only way for us to succeed, and indeed survive, is to work alongside the rest of Hyrule. You _will_ all make this alliance work! Is that understood?"

Numerous monsters grudgingly nodded their heads and muttered, "Yessir."

Ganondorf then turned around and walked over to Zelda, Link following behind. "So, what is your plan, princess?"

"You and Link will take a contingent of monsters and Hylians and relieve Gerudo's Fortress, while I take Kraug and his men, along with another battalion of Hylians and rescue Zora's Domain, and my father will take the rest to Kakariko Village."

"And why are you forcing me to work with_ him_?" Ganondorf snarled, glaring at Link.

"Because you cannot be trusted at the moment," Zelda answered sternly. "You will have to earn our trust."

Ganondorf folded his arms and growled, "Fine. Let's go then."

The two armies then merged together before separating into the three assigned groups and heading off. Ganondorf, seated on a jet-black horse, turned to Link and said, "I can't believe I'm stuck with you, boy."

Link returned the glare. "Hey, I ain't too thrilled about it either."

"Hmph. Just don't get in my way once we reach there."

"Don't stab me in my back and I won't stab you in yours."

This feeling was shared by every one of the warriors marching behind them. As they neared the fortress, a great plume of smoke became visible, reaching into the sky as if intending to choke out the sun. Link suddenly saw Ganondorf's pace quicken, and clicked Epona's reins to catch up. They ended up leaving their soldiers in the dust.

Finally they came within sight of the rear of the Orcish hordes. There was no doubt about it now; the smoke was coming from Gerudo's Fortress. The Orcs didn't seem to notice their presence. Ganondorf suddenly stopped his horse and stared at the army before him. As Link pulled up alongside him, he glanced at his nemesis and could have sworn he saw horror in his eyes. Before Link could even blink, Ganondorf drew his sword and raised it into the air, unleashing a great war cry brewing with anger, hatred, and…_grief._

Link could have sworn something snapped in Ganondorf as the Gerudo King made his presence known and charged at the surprised Orcs. The first few were crushed beneath his charger's hooves. The others turned around and converged on their new attacker. Link spurred Epona onwards to help his former enemy, and together they slaughtered dozens of Orcs. Navi blinded some by flitting in front of their faces, forcing them to drop their guard. However, the Orcs were innumerable, and they now used their strength of numbers against the two Triforce holders. But just when things were starting to look bad, the warriors of Hyrule caught up with their leaders and engaged the Orcs. This attack completely wrong-footed the Orcs, sending them into disarray.

As Link cut down another Orc, he caught sight of Ganondorf ruthlessly carving his way through the Orcs, slowly making his way towards the fortress. The battle raged for the better part of an hour before the Orcs finally broke rank and fled, screaming in terror as they scuttled away. Ganondorf paid no heed to the mounds of bodies around him as he leapt off his horse and ran towards the fortress.

Link and Navi quickly followed him and found Ganondorf staring in horror at the smoldering fortress. When Ganondorf's eyes fell on the sealed entrances, his heart sank. _No_, he thought in dread. _No, no, no, NO!_

As he approached, he launched a red dart of Triforce energy and reduced the barricade to smithereens. He then disappeared inside. Link followed suit and tried to find Ganondorf through the smoke. He began coughing as he inhaled the fumes, and his eyes began watering, but Link pushed onward. Suddenly, he heard a booming noise ahead of him. Before he could defend himself, he was nearly knocked off his feet by a huge gust of wind which channeled out all the smoke in the fortress and pushed Navi into a wall. Link recovered his footing and saw Ganondorf disappear around a corner, still searching for possible survivors. Link and Navi tagged along behind Ganondorf for a good while as they scoured the fortress.

Eventually, at the last unexplored room, Ganondorf stopped. "They're…they're not here," he whispered almost to himself in disbelief.

Link was just as confused. How could the Gerudo have escaped without being caught by thousands of vigilant Orcs? The answer came swiftly and unexpectedly as Nabooru warped into the room. "Hello, boys," she said upon entering. "Don't worry, we're all safe. I warped them all to the training grounds. Those things, whatever they are, didn't pay any attention to that place."

Link and Navi breathed a sigh of relief. It was then they all noticed Ganondorf had turned his head away from them, as if he were trying to hide something. Nabooru sighed and said, "I see this brought back some bad memories."

Ganondorf whirled around and said sharply, "Quiet! Now is neither the time nor the place!"

Link glanced at Ganondorf curiously. _Memories_? he pondered. _What does she mean by that_?

"Well then. Since it seems our friends outside have been taken care of, let's hope the rest of Hyrule is faring as well."

XXXXXX

Another legion of Hyruleans descended upon the Orcs still attacking Kakariko Village, catching them off-guard. As the Orcs were engaged from behind, the defenders redoubled their efforts. With the tide of battle turned against them, the Orcs retreated. The Hyruleans didn't pursue the fleeing Orcs, instead staying behind to dress wounds and collect the dead.

XXXXXX

Saria slowly walked out of the entrance to the Lost Woods and stared at the Orcs busily cutting apart fallen trees. She heaved in a sigh and then yelled, "Hey you!"

The Orcs immediately turned sharply towards her. "An intruder!" one of them shrieked. "After her!"

Saria fled into the woods as the Orcs pursued her. Once they were deep enough in the trees, the Kokiri sprang their trap. Up in the trees, they threw Deku Nuts at the Orcs, the bright lights emanating from them blinding the Orcs. With the Orcs distracted, the Kokiri opened fire with fairy bows taken from the Forest Temple, killing numerous Orcs. Other Kokiri released logs held aloft by ropes, crushing more Orcs. It did not take long for the Orcs to be completely annihilated. The Lost Woods had been reclaimed.

XXXXXX

When Zelda's forces reached Zora's Domain, the Orcs still outside attempted to halt their advance. However, the terrain put the Orcs at a critical disadvantage, and they were soon destroyed. Then the Troll guarding the waterfall turned to face them. Before the other warriors could react, Kraug stepped forward and said gruffly, "This one's mine."

As the two gargantuan battle tanks squared off, Zelda whipped out an ocarina and played her lullaby, quieting the waterfall. As the water subsided, the sounds and cries of battle could be heard. They wasted no time in joining the fight. Princess Ruto rallied the remaining Zoras together. Outnumbered and unable to escape, the Orcs were all slain. All but one…

Outside, Kraug brandished his massive battle-axe as the Troll swung at him with its hammer. His superhuman strength allowed him to deflect the Troll's attack and strike it in the chest with the tip of his axe. The Troll stumbled back, the wind knocked out of it. The Iron Knuckle seized the initiative and raised his axe over his head. As he brought it down, the Troll raised its hammer and parried Kraug's swing. "You dumb beast!" Kraug roared. "Put up a better fight!"

The Troll swatted Kraug and knocked him back. He stumbled into the water and looked down. "Arrgh! Now I'm going to rust!"

The Troll paid no heed to Kraug's declaration. It charged again, intending to flatten the Iron Knuckle. It raised its hammer over its head, leaving its sides unguarded. Kraug swung with all his might, inflicting a fatal wound so deep that it almost split the Troll in half. The creature toppled to the ground, its black blood gushing into the Zora River as its life left its body.

Satisfied with his conquest, Kraug dipped his blade into the water, allowing the current to wash away the blood and gore. At that moment Zelda came outside and beheld the scene. "Um, I see everything's taken care of here."

"Big, ugly, and stupid. Hardly worth a match."

Suddenly Zelda heard Rauru's voice in her head. _Hyrule survives_!

Zelda sighed in relief. The Siege of Hyrule was over, but the war was far from finished.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen: A Battle Plan**

What few survivors were left from the failed Siege of Hyrule retreated with great reluctance back to Sauron's headquarters. The Witch-king immediately noticed them and knew something was wrong. His suspicions were confirmed as an Orc ran up to him and reported, "The attack was a failure, sir! Ganondorf has joined our enemies!"

_The master is not going to like this_, the Witch-king thought to himself as he went to relay the news to Sauron.

He was right. "Those wretched vermin!" Sauron roared as the Witch-king filled him in, standing up so abruptly he knocked his chair over. "I will make them suffer _dearly_ for this!"

"All in good time, my Lord," the Witch-king said. "The Easterling army you requested will soon arrive, and we will once more gain the edge."

Sauron glared at his servant. "How long is _soon_?"

"I do not know for certain," the Witch-king admitted. "But it will not be much longer. The Easterlings can handle the march through the desert."

Sauron picked up his chair and sat back down. "I hope so. Until then, we wait."

"What?" the Witch-king asked incredulously. "Wait?"

"I'm not interested in fighting a war of attrition with these people. Fewer in number they are, but Orcs by themselves are no match for any of them. We need more skilled warriors in order to take the fight to the enemy. So, we wait. Is that understood?"

"Yes, my lord."

XXXXXX

Ganondorf, Link, Zelda, Navi, King Harkinian, and a group of advisors were holding a meeting in the Strategy Room of Hyrule Castle. The Strategy Room was situated deep in the castle's underground. There were no windows, so the room was lit by a number of torches lining the wall. Ganondorf, Link, Zelda, and Harkinian sat on one end of the table and the advisors, none of whom wished to be anywhere near Ganondorf, sat on the other. The advisors were rather skittish as they watched Ganondorf. Seeing that they had always spent their time in the castle, they had been shielded from the violence of the War of the Golden Powers, as the conflict had now been named, and hadn't had a chance to work on their natural-born cowardice. Ganondorf was standing as he spoke. "Now that we are back on even ground, I say it's time to stage a counter-offensive of our own. Sauron is currently recouping his losses. We should strike now while he is attempting to recover."

"Are you even aware of how many Orcs there are under Sauron's command, Ganondorf?" Zelda asked, shaking her head condescendingly. "If I were to make a rough estimate, I'd say he has at least a hundred and fifty thousand still beneath his banner."

"F-f-fifty _thousand_?" the senator of internal affairs gasped. "Th-that's too many! Even with Ganondorf's army, we are horribly outnumbered! How could we avoid being overrun by sheer weight of numbers?"

"We have the power of the Triforce on our side," Link surmised.

"And Sauron has the One Ring," Harkinian answered. "We and our enemy both have access to extremely powerful relics, so we have no advantage there."

"We do have one advantage, though," Navi added, prompting everyone to look up at her. "We have courage. We have something worth fighting for: freedom. Sauron's Orcs have no concept of honor or courage. They are cowardly by nature and only find strength in numbers. They are considered nothing more than expendable fodder to their master. That is where our greatest advantage lies."

"Perhaps," Ganondorf said. "But having the advantage of numbers one one's side can definitely help."

"You are a good example of having superior numbers and still losing, Ganondorf," Link added with a grin.

Ganondorf shot him a death glare, but deep down he knew Link had a point. "Hopefully we won't be alone for long," Zelda interrupted. "There's a country that borders Hyrule through the Lost Woods called Termina that might be willing to aid us. Link has been there before."

"There's a kingdom situated there called Ikana," Link interjected. "Its population consists of the living dead, but I broke a curse on its king. He may be inclined to send troops to help our cause."

"Do you intend for us to venture to this 'Termina'?" Ganondorf asked.

"Yes," Zelda answered. "You, Link, and I will take some men and go there."

"Well, I can't leave my troops behind without a leader. And we could use a good spy. Therefore, I will release my servant Phantom Ganon from the gap between dimensions."

Link recalled his battle with the demon spirit in the Forest Temple during the war against Ganondorf. He wasn't overly fond of the idea, but Phantom Ganon was a skilled combatant, and the more Hyrule had to offer, the better. "If that is what you wish, so be it," Zelda said.

Ganondorf stood up and chanted an incantation. Suddenly there was a flash of blue fire, and when it dissipated, there stood a man identical in appearance to Ganondorf except for his face, a horned skull with menacing red eyes. He carried a trident with magical balls of light emanating from the blades. Phantom Ganon took in his surroundings. When he saw Link, he raised his scepter in an offensive position. "YOU!" he roared, preparing to attack.

Before Link could unsheathe his sword, Ganondorf grabbed the shaft of Phantom Ganon's weapon and said, "No. He's with me."

Phantom Ganon blinked in surprise. "Did…did I miss something here?"

"Yes. There is much you must know. Hyrule is under siege from a man called Sauron, and I've joined the fight against him."

"But…but…that's the Hero of Time! Your sworn enemy!"

"No shit. Now listen. I have a task for you. I want you to go throughout Hyrule Field and find Sauron's encampment. Once you do, return to us with what you've found."

And with that, the meeting was adjourned. Phantom Ganon was given a black horse from the stables and then took off to fulfill his orders. The sun was beginning to sink beneath the distant mountains, so everyone decided to retire to their sleeping quarters. They planned to gather a small force together and depart for Termina in the morning.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen: Ganondorf…Monster or Man?**

Ganondorf had been given a room to himself in one of the towers, and was now trying to fall asleep. However, something was preventing him from doing so. As he feverishly tossed and turned, he discovered the reason why.

The events of the day. They had triggered something in Ganondorf's mind, something he had long thought forgotten. Now they had risen back to the surface to torment him once again. He cursed these memories with every fabric of his being. He slowly rose from his bed and took his sword before teleporting out to the field outside the castle. The Gerudo King sucked in the cool night air and sighed.

_Dammit. Why did these old memories have to resurface? It happened so long ago…Why do they still trouble me?_

Ganondorf took out his frustrations on a tree that happened to be nearby, hacking at it mercilessly with his sword. Eventually he cut through the entire trunk, toppling the tree. As it fell, Ganondorf continued hacking at it like a deranged lumberjack. This didn't seem to satisfy him any, and he began snarling curses with each swing. "Damn it! Damn the Goddesses!"

He then proceeded to light the tree on fire with his magic. Ganondorf took a step back as he looked upon his handiwork. This only made things worse as a particular memory sprang forth to taunt him.

_He was merely a child, the prince of his people. The offspring of a Hylian and Gerudo, he lived in a small village within the desert. The people there had been plagued by food and water shortages for years. After all, they lived in the Gerudo Desert, where the scalding hot winds brought death and desolation to the Gerudo. The Hylians, in their bid to proclaim their racial superiority over all others who lived in Hyrule, had driven them to this wasteland. He had been the first good news in a long time…the birth of their new king was at hand._

_Five years after he was born, the village caught fire. His parents were caught in the blaze and couldn't escape. Unable to save them, Ganondorf watched as his parents burned to death before his eyes._

Suddenly Ganondorf was brought to his senses by a familiar voice behind him. "Jeez, what did that tree ever do to you?"

Ganondorf turned around and saw Link standing behind him. "What are you doing here, boy?" he growled irritably.

"I was gonna ask you the same thing."

"It's…none of your concern. Now leave me. I wish to be alone."

Ganondorf's tone surprised Link. It sounded almost…weary. "What's up with you? What happened to the boastful I'm-gonna-take-over-the-world bad guy I know so well?"

Link tried to say it in a playful tone, which only seemed to irk Ganondorf further. "You don't know me at all, boy. Now go away."

"Okay, something's up. What's bothering you?"

"It doesn't concern you. It's…it's my problem."

Link sighed and folded his arms. "You know, nothing good ever comes out of keeping your problems to yourself."

Link looked at the fire and became enamored with his own memories. "I doubt you'd care but…I'm not without my own issues. I'm the Hero of Time, and I started my adventure when I was _ten_. I was just a little kid, and the fate of an entire world was thrust on my shoulders. You didn't make life easy for me."

Ganondorf huffed. "That wasn't my intention."

"Aaaanyway, you weren't the only cause of my problems. I mean, I never even knew my parents. They both died when I was just a baby."

Link failed to notice the slight change in Ganondorf's expression at the mention of his mortal enemy's parents.

"And I also ended up saving the world again from a demon-possessed mask who was even crazier than you, had several people die in my arms, wore magical masks to impersonate them for various reasons, and saved other people from personal calamities, all while trying to stop an entire moon from falling. This whole hero thing…"

Link shook his head. "…It's just, you know…sometimes I wish I could go back to living a normal life and not have to always save the day."

Ganondorf folded his arms and stared at the fire quietly for a long time. Link began to think the Gerudo wasn't going to answer, but then Ganondorf 'hmph'ed.

"You whine too much, kid. You think your life was bad? Please. You had it easy."

Ganondorf turned his head towards Link. "Do you know what it's like to be born into a society comprised completely of women? Do you know what it's like to live in a desert, where by day sandstorms burn our skin and by night the wind brings cold death?"

Ganondorf forced a chuckle. "Tell me. Are you aware of Hyrule's history?"

Link thought for a moment. "Well, all I know is that when I was born, there was a war between the Royal Family and a couple of rebellious lords that nearly ruined the kingdom."

"Of course. Foolish boy. I should have expected you'd be too stupid to bother learning about your beloved people's _glorious_ past."

"I have a name, you know."

Ganondorf ignored Link's outburst. "Before that petty squabble among the Hylians, they were still a unified kingdom, though it didn't stretch over as much of Hyrule as it does now. The Hylians are a vain people, Link. The knowledge that they were the favored race of the Goddesses made them arrogant. As such, they began a campaign against who they considered lesser beings in a bid to expand their empire. While they didn't bother the Zoras, Kokiri, or Gorons since they were isolated in their homes, they did strike at the Gerudo race. Back then, we didn't live in the deserts. We lived in the fields near Lake Hylia, but the Hylians drove us into the desert, where we lived in constant suffering.

"They managed to build the Fortress, and a village a few miles away from it. It was in that village where I was born. You were lucky you never met your parents, kid, because I had the misfortune of watching mine burn to death when the desert heat sparked a fire in the village. Try living with that every day of your life."

Link just stood there in shock. Would the kingdom he knew and loved be so cruel as to do such a thing to these people? _Zelda never told me about _this, he thought.

Ganondorf turned around and gave Link a mirthless chuckle. "You Hylians are always quick to judge. You thought of me as a monster without bothering to consider _why_ I did what I did."

Link's eyes suddenly became very interested in the ground. "Why do you think I chose to side with you? If Sauron has his way, my people will be nothing but slaves. The lucky ones would be killed outright. And if Sauron is already ruling this world, how will I be able to? Don't think for a moment I'm fighting at your side because of my sentiments towards the Hylians. Such thoughts are naïve."

Link looked back up at Ganondorf. "Still, I don't think you're all bad, Ganondorf. Not anymore."

"Hmph."

Ganondorf then took his leave and warped back to his room, leaving Link to wonder how he could have been so callous.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen: Clash of the Undead Servants**

Phantom Ganon crept quietly towards the Orc camp in the dead of night, crawling through the grass while keeping a tight grip on his scepter. As he came closer, he came across a large fallen tree and hid behind it. He tried as best he could to peek out from behind the tree without making his horns look too conspicuous. The demonic ghost witnessed the Orcs gathered around a large number of campfires, chattering away in their harsh language that they only used amongst themselves. Suddenly they all became silent, and another noise replaced the previous Orc-talk: the sound of marching footsteps.

Unlike that of the Orcs, the marching sounded much more organized and disciplined, and when Phantom Ganon looked in the direction of the noise, what he saw surprised him. A large column of soldiers approached the Orc camps, chanting in a mysterious language, whose meaning was beyond Phantom Ganon. The warriors stood upright and marched with a military prowess that could have rivaled the Hylian Royal Guards. With a start, Phantom Ganon realized, _Wait a minute…those aren't more of these nasty-looking creatures! They're humans!_

The soldiers' uniforms consisted of a red, indigo, and black tunic underneath bronze armor crafted to look like reptilian scales. They each wore a red headscarf underneath a bronze helmet. The helmets bore three angular crests branching out from the top. Phantom Ganon could easily picture these people, with those sinister helms and jagged armor, as a swarm of dragons searching for prey. They all carried in one hand a long polearm with a serrated blade on one side and a sharp spike curving downwards on the other, with a spearhead jutting out from the head. In the other hand, each warrior carried a large rectangular shield with a concave top and bottom that looked capable of protecting the greater percent of each warrior's body. Sheathed at each soldier's side was a scimitar with a three-foot-long blade, and a fair number of the warriors had bows and quivers with white-feathered arrows slung over their shoulders. About a third of them were on horseback. They held their heads high, and Phantom Ganon could tell these were a strong, proud, and most likely, cruel people. They definitely appeared to be seasoned in the art of war. And now Hyrule would have them to worry about.

XXXXXX

An Orc commander entered Sauron's tent, drawing the Dark Lord's attention. "The Easterling army has arrived, my Lord," he reported.

"How many?" Sauron eagerly asked.

"I'd say around ten thousand," the Orc guesstimated.

"Has a space been cleared for them in the camp?"

"Yes, sir."

"Lead them to it. And bring me their leader so I may speak with him."

The Orc nodded and turned to leave. "One more thing," Sauron added.

The Orc stopped and glanced at his master. "Has the Witch-king returned from scouting yet?"

"No, my Lord."

And with that, the Orc left to carry out his orders.

XXXXXX

Phantom Ganon watched the Orc commander approach the Easterling army now entering the camp. A mounted man in the front, whose uniform was more ornate than his comrades', raised his hand and shouted an order in their foreign tongue. Immediately the troops halted, and the man, presumably the leader, dismounted, stepped forward and addressed the Orc. Phantom Ganon was unable to hear what they were discussing, but eventually the Easterling leader gestured to his men, who broke formation and headed off to the southwestern edge of the Orc encampment to set up their own tents and relax after the long march.

As for the leader, he stayed behind with the Orc commander, who pointed at a large tent in the center of the camp. They then left for the tent together.

Phantom Ganon was so engrossed in the scene that he almost didn't hear the light sound of a blade unsheathing behind him.

Almost.

Phantom Ganon rolled aside, and a blade cut into the spot where his head had been a mere second before. He stood up and gripped his trident in an offensive position as he looked upon his assailant.

It was the Witch-king.

"How dare you spy on us!" the Witch-king hissed angrily. "You will not leave this place alive!"

"You dare to challenge Phantom Ganon, greatest of Lord Ganondorf's minions?" Phantom Ganon snarled back.

"Ganondorf is a weak fool! Even he is no match for the might of the Witch-king, the most powerful servant of Lord Sauron! You will fall before my wrath just as your master nearly did!"

The Witch-king held his sword in front of his face and stepped toward Phantom Ganon. Then the Witch-king slashed at Phantom Ganon's side, who parried with his trident. The Witch-king tried to saw him in half, but the demon spirit flew over the Nazgul Lord's head and landed behind him. As the Witch-king turned, Phantom Ganon sent an energy ball hurtling towards him. The Witch-king swatted it aside with his blade, and Phantom Ganon jabbed with his trident, intending to skewer his enemy. The Witch-king just stepped to the side and brought his sword down on the trident. Then he stepped on it, forcing it out of Phantom Ganon's hands.

Robbed of his primary weapon, Phantom Ganon drew his sword, an exact replica of Ganondorf's, and held it at the ready. The demon spirit blocked the Witch-king's thrust and swung at his head. The Witch-king ducked and slashed at his sword-arm, cutting a small gash in Phantom Ganon's bicep. Phantom Ganon glanced at his wound and came at the Witch-king again. For several minutes the two undead servants fought like tigers, parrying every move they threw at each other. Yet for all the battle's ferocity, none overheard it, for they were concealed by the tree, and the many Orcish conversations drowned out all other noise.

Then, suddenly, Phantom Ganon did something unexpected; he rose into the air and flung another energy ball at the Witch-king. The Nazgul Lord leapt aside, but was unprepared for Phantom Ganon's next move. The demon spirit kicked the Witch-king squarely in the chest and sent him sprawling to the ground. Phantom Ganon seized this opportunity and grabbed his trident and jumped onto his horse before galloping off into the night. The Witch-king rose angrily to his feet as he watched his enemy escape. He then turned and stomped towards the camp.

XXXXXX

Meanwhile, the Orc commander came into Sauron's tent with the Easterling leader. Sauron looked up at his guest. "Leave us, commander," he ordered the Orc.

After the Orc had departed, Sauron turned his attention to the newcomer. "Welcome to Hyrule. It is quite an excellent time to meet you in person on the eve of my mighty conquest. What is your name?"

The Easterling removed his helmet, revealing a man with coarse brown hair; pale, sallow skin; and an ugly scar running down the length of his left cheek. "I am General Saradej, and I am proud to fight by your side in the name of Morgoth."

He smirked and bowed. "Lord Morgoth would have been proud of your devotion," Sauron replied.

"My warriors are ready to serve your will, my Lord."

"Excellent. Hyrule will not be expecting such well-trained soldiers amongst my ranks."

At that moment, the Witch-king stormed into Sauron's tent. Sauron could tell right away his servant was angry about something. Without being asked to explain himself, the Witch-king snarled, "We have lost the element of surprise!"

Sauron was out of his chair in an instant. "_What_?"

"I caught a minion of Ganondorf spying on us. However, he was able to escape!"

Sauron began pacing back and forth, trying to keep his cool as he took in this information. "My Lord," Saradej interrupted. "Perhaps I could be of use."

Both Sauron and the Witch-king turned to him expectantly. "Whoever this spy was, he does not know what we look like without our armor. Allow me to do some spying of my own."

"How exactly do you propose to do this?" Sauron queried.

"I will go to the enemy's citadel and see what I can discover. However, I do not know the way."

Sauron walked out of his tent and pointed into the distance. "Hyrule Castle is about a day's ride in that direction. Find out what you can and return to me with what you've learned."

Saradej bowed. "As you wish, my Lord," Saradej answered before walking towards his horse.

Sauron watched his new ally mount his steed and speed out of the camp. _This time, defenders of Hyrule_, Sauron thought to himself. _You will suffer heavy losses_.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen: Journey to Termina**

The next morning, Link, Zelda, Ganondorf, Navi, Impa, and a group consisting of thirty Gorons, forty Zoras, forty Gerudo, fifty Hylians, twenty Moblins, twenty Stalfos, fifteen Lizalfos, Kraug, and another Iron Knuckle by the name of Maorg had all gathered outside of Hyrule Castle, preparing to depart for Termina. The King and Malon were there to wish them luck. As Ganondorf mounted his black stallion, he said, "How do you expect to recruit these people?"

"I helped a lot of them out when they were in trouble," Link replied as he got on Epona. "That, and I rescued them from the demon-possessed mask I told you about."

"Of course," Ganondorf answered in a sarcastic tome. "Always the hero. I should have known."

As Zelda listened in on their conversation, the memories of that morning came back to mind.

_Zelda had been adjusting a strap on the leather armor she had decided to wear over a silk tunic instead of a dress when she had noticed Link walking by her with a troubled look. Still fiddling with the shoulder strap, Zelda said, "Link? Is something wrong?"_

_Link looked up and sighed. "I had an…interesting conversation with Ganondorf last night."_

_Zelda ceased fidgeting with her armor in interest. "Interesting? How?"_

_Link scratched his head. "Well, I ended up getting him to open up about his past, and…well…"_

_Zelda folded her arms. "Well what?"_

_Link's expression suddenly became deadly serious. "Zelda, please tell me. Is it true the Hylians started a campaign against the Gerudo and forced them to migrate to the desert?"_

_Zelda was taken aback by Link's knowledge of this tragic event and sighed. "I'm afraid so. I will not deny that our people's actions have not always been honorable. I take it that Ganondorf's motives are somewhat driven by that?"_

_Link nodded his head. "And he also says his parents died in a fire when he was young. Can't help but say I kinda feel for him."_

_An uncomfortable silence followed before Zelda finally said, "Well, we should get going."_

Zelda snapped back to reality and gazed upon the small army which was to accompany them to Termina. Seeing Ganondorf's minions together with the denizens of Hyrule together without quarreling was a sight to behold. Tension was still high, but it was not as bad as when the war had first started. Suddenly she saw a horseman quickly approaching them. As he came closer, Zelda recognized him.

It was Phantom Ganon.

Phantom Ganon stopped his horse in front of the group and cried, "We have a problem!"

"What is it?" queried Harkinian.

"Sauron has received reinforcements!"

"Bloody hell," Ganondorf growled. "Just our luck. More Orcs."

"They're not Orcs!"

Everyone's eyes widened. "If not Orcs, then what?" Ganondorf demanded.

"I believe they're humans, my Lord. And from what I could tell, they are more disciplined than the filthy Orcs."

Link cursed to himself. Now with fresh, battle-ready, disciplined reinforcements swelling Sauron's ranks, he would be a greater danger than before. Only the Goddesses knew how skilled these new warriors were. Now they needed Termina more than ever. Ganondorf then interrupted Link's thoughts. "All right, we are leaving for the land of Termina to gather reinforcements of our own. I leave you in command of my forces until our return. Work with the Hyruleans on whatever they need. There must be full cooperation if we are to succeed in this war. Understand, Phantom Ganon?"

Phantom Ganon acknowledged his master's command by nodding his head. "As you wish, Lord Ganondorf."

The demon spirit guided his horse up to where the King and Malon were standing. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "Good luck."

Ganondorf cast a quizzical look at his minion before turning to Zelda. "Shall we go, then?"

Zelda nodded. "Be safe, all of you," Harkinian said.

"Take care of yourself, Link," Malon added.

'I will," Link assured her before riding to the head of the group. "I'll lead the way."

With that, they began to march. They ventured into Castle Town, where the townsfolk were gathered in the town square, cheering for them. Zelda lifted her hand and cried, "In a few weeks' time, we will return with the armies of Termina, and victory will be ours! I promise!"

The people cheered louder than ever, and no one noticed a very faint smile play out across Ganondorf's face, not a sneer, or a smirk, but a genuine smile. Neither did anyone notice the sinister-looking man covered in a robe watching them with a wicked smirk.

As soon as the Hyruleans were gone and the townspeople had returned to their regular duties, Saradej went into the alley, where he had hidden his horse, and rode out of the town.

XXXXXX

Saradej rode hard back to Sauron's camp, reaching his allies in half a day. He leaped off his horse and strode into Sauron's tent. "My Lord," he said.

Sauron was leaning over a map of Hyrule when Saradej had arrived, and his gaze shifted to the Easterling general. "What have you found?"

"A force of Hyruleans, along with the three Triforce holders, has departed for a land called Termina to gather reinforcements. Requesting permission to take fifteen-hundred of my men to follow them and conquer this land in your name."

"Granted. However, I want the Witch-king to accompany you. He is a powerful warrior, and will prove valuable when facing the Triforce wielders."

Saradej nodded. "Understood, my Lord. I will make the necessary preparations."

XXXXXX

The Hyruleans reached the woods two days later. Link led them through the maze of trees towards the Hyrule-Termina border. Kraug often got his battle-axe caught in large branches and ended up ripping them off while cursing at the fresh kindling. Maorg, the calmer one, used his huge sword as a walking stick and ignored his companion's outbursts. Link occasionally looked in their direction, surprised that these things were actually sentient beings. Some of the soldiers found Kraug's dilemma to be quite entertaining, but they kept it to themselves, knowing it would be foolish to make the Iron Knuckle angry.

After hours of weaving their way through trees and foliage, Maorg suddenly sank knee-deep into some water as the soft ground beneath him gave way to his huge bulk. "Are you bloody kidding me?" he snarled as he waded through the water back onto solid ground. Not long after, several other warriors shared his misfortune as they passed through the Woods of Mystery into the Southern Swamp of Termina. The air became much more humid, making numerous warriors regret wearing all their armor. Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf glanced at the path ahead of them. There was a river before them, with a number of large lily pads floating on the surface like a network of stepping stones. Zelda and Ganondorf exchanged glances. Kraug and Maorg looked on with immense displeasure.

Link turned in his saddle and addressed the group behind him. "Termina is strange in a few ways. Some Hyruleans will have copies here."

"What in Din's name do you mean by 'copies'?" Ganondorf questioned.

"Meaning people who look exactly like us. For example, alternate versions of your surrogate mothers live here. They won't know who you are."

"Something tells me that will change soon," Ganondorf muttered.

At that moment, they heard a whooshing sound approaching that Link, Navi, and Ganondorf recognized instantly. Floating up the river on a broomstick with a basketful of fragrant mushrooms was an old witch with huge eyes, light-grey hair tied up in a bun, and a large red crystal on her forehead that they immediately recognized at Twinrova Koume. As she passed by, she suddenly noticed Link and the others. "Oh, Link!" she cried in her high-pitched voice. "I haven't seen you in a good long time. Ever since the moon returned to its place in the sky, the magic mushrooms have been growing everywhere! There's so many of them now, I can smell them all over the place!"

She cast her ponderous eyes at the others behind Link. "And who are your friends here?"

Link gestured to them as he spoke. "These guys are from my homeland of Hyrule. This is Princess Zelda, and this is Ganondorf, the Gerudo King."

"Hmm, royalty," Koume said thoughtfully. "We don't usually get such important visitors. I must say though, you have quite a party here."

"Well, we're not exactly here to sight-see," Zelda interrupted. "We're here because Hyrule is under siege from a powerful enemy from another land called the Dark Lord Sauron, and our defenses are crumbling from his repeated attacks. If we don't get allies here, he'll enslave Hyrule, and then he may possibly come for Termina."

As she took this in, Koume scratched her chin. "This Sauron character sounds pretty dangerous. If he intends to conquer the entire world, then I think a good portion of Termina will be inclined to assist. But if we are to go to war, you will need something to help heal your warriors. Come with me, and I'll take you to my sister's potion shop."

After about an hour of slogging through the water as they followed the old witch, they finally made it back to solid ground. Eventually they came upon a strange sight. There was a house shaped like a teacup perched upon a wooden platform. A ladder was the only way to reach the Magic Hag's Potion Shop. Koume floated up to the door and gestured for Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf to follow.

Link and Zelda climbed up the ladder as Ganondorf simply levitated himself to the top. Once they were all up, they went inside with Koume. Inside the Potion Shop, everyone noticed an old woman identical to Koume save for the blue crystal on her forehead sleeping at the counter with a particularly loud snore. Koume rolled her eyes and walked up to her sister. "Kotake! Wake up!"

Immediately, Kotake's eyes popped open. "What?"

"Look who's here? It's Link!"

"Oh, I haven't seen you in a while!" Kotake cried. "I see you brought some friends! What can I do for you?"

Before Link could answer, Koume said, "You won't believe the reason they came! Their homeland's under attack and they need reinforcements!"

"Oh my," Kotake gasped, putting a hand to her mouth. "Well, can I interest you in some healing potions for your soldiers?"

That reminded Koume to hand the basket of mushrooms to Kotake. "Thank you, Koume. If you just give me a day or two, I'll have a good supply of Blue Potions to keep up your strength."

"Yes, that would be lovely," Zelda answered. "But for now, we'll take some Red Potions."

She reached into her pouch and took out a huge rupee. "I'll take as many Red Potions as this will buy, please."

Kotake took the rupee. "Just a moment."

The old hag produced a number of small bottles and dipped them into a red cauldron with the potion of choice. After filling each one, she placed them on the table and sealed them all with corks. "You know, I can remember when I was your age, young lady."

"No you can't!" Koume chided. "You often can't remember where you put your own broomstick!"

"Neither can you, Koume," Kotake answered calmly.

Koume didn't respond. Zelda took a few bottles and handed them to Ganondorf. "Do I look like your pack mule?" Ganondorf responded indignantly.

"Just hold a few," Zelda answered irritably. "I can't carry them all."

Ganondorf sighed and took a few bottles. Zelda handed the rest to Link. "Oh, I see how it is," Link said dryly.

"You're the one with the magic pouch, Link," Navi interjected.

"Thank you," Zelda said to the witch sisters. "I thank you on behalf of all Hyrule."

"You flatter us, dearie. Now go save your country!"

XXXXXX

The Easterling army plowed on through the Lost Woods, following the trail of the Hyrulean forces. Saradej led the way, utilizing his tracking skills to lead them. In order to keep his armor from getting in the way, he had it hitched onto his horse's saddle. The Easterling cavalry, otherwise known as cataphracts, kept that horse with the rest of the group. The Witch-king trotted silently at the head of the group, watching Saradej perform his work.

Saradej smiled to himself as he discovered a tell-tale sign of the enemy's presence; the grass had been flattened by the mass of marching feet and formed a trail. He gestured to his men, and they trudged after him, and before long they began experiencing the same trouble with the swampy ground as had their enemy. Finally they emerged from the woods and came upon the river. Saradej nodded to his men, and they broke formation to refill their canteens and let the horses drink. The Witch-king glanced all around him, taking in the surroundings. He finally cast his sinister gaze at Saradej. "Well?"

Saradej shook his head. "I've lost them, but I doubt they've gone too far ahead. Let's get out of this place and back onto solid ground. We should make camp before nightfall."

The Witch-king glared at the Easterlings. "Very well. Move out!"

The Easterlings reformed their ranks and headed north, oblivious to the fact that their targets were only a few miles away, just leaving the potion shop.

XXXXXX

Link and the others slowly made their way through the swamp, occasionally swatting away annoying insects. At long last they came upon the edge of the swamp and finally entered Termina Field. Link could make out Clock Town in the distance, along with…

_No…It-it can't be! _Link thought as he saw a distant mass moving towards Clock Town. He squinted his eyes to get a better look, but Ganondorf confirmed what he already suspected. "Those must be the new soldiers Phantom Ganon was telling us about. And the Witch-king is leading them."

"How could they have followed us?" Zelda gasped in horror.

"More importantly, how did they get _ahead_ of us?" Link responded.

XXXXXX

The Witch-king happened to look behind him and saw in the distance three riders on horseback. There was no mistaking it; they were the Triforce wielders. He laughed silently to himself as he imagined their fate at the hands of the Easterlings. But neither could he wait to conquer this new land in Sauron's name. "Saradej!" the Witch-king hissed.

The Easterling general came up to the Nazgul Lord. "Yes?"

"This is where we will make camp for the night."

Saradej looked around. "Here? Are you mad? It's an exposed position! We could never possibly defend against a direct attack!"

"Who said anything about defending?" the Witch-king answered slyly.

"You know how powerful the Triforce holders are, sir. They would inflict heavy casualties…"

"Listen closely, fool. I have a plan."

XXXXXX

"What do we do now?" Ganondorf snarled.

"It appears they're making camp," Zelda observed. "That's odd. Why in such an open place?"

"For being such skilled warriors," Ganondorf added, "they have much to learn about choosing a defensible camp. We can ambush them easily!"

Link eyed the group behind him. "They seem to have a distinct advantage in numbers. We should wait 'til nightfall, and then strike while their guard is down."

"Very well then," Zelda finished. "We'll attack tonight, when they're asleep."


	17. Chapter 17

**Le gasp! Is this…an update of War of the Golden Powers? I haven't touched this damn thing in almost a year…well, I came across the old manuscript for this and got my creative spark rolling again. So here you are, readers! The newest, long-awaited next chapter to Legend of Zelda: War of the Golden Powers!**

**Don't kill me…**

**XXXXX000XXXXXXXX**

**Chapter Seventeen: Ambush in the Night**

As the moon cast an otherworldly light on the Easterling encampment, the Hyrulean forces slowly made their way towards the mass of tents. They crawled through the grass, trying as hard as they could to muffle the clinking of their armor. While Ganondorf had been able to cast a spell that hid them from view, he could not prevent the noise. Link gazed at their target. A wicker wall had been erected around the camp, and a few sentries stood at attention, still as statues. Finally Link signaled the attack as he sprang up and yelled, "Go!"

At once, the Hyruleans seemingly rose out of the ground itself as they shouted their bone-chilling battle-cries. They charged into the camp, smashing the wicker wall to pieces with their bodies. The guards didn't have a chance to even move before they were mercilessly cut down. Moblins and Gorons knocked over entire tents with their bare hands. However, one Moblin who was preparing to gloat over his fresh kill suddenly discovered something was amiss. He kneeled down to examine the body, and discovered to his shock that it was only straw encased in armor. Others discovered that the tents were empty. There was no one here. Ganondorf spun his steed around, confusion playing out across his face. "What in Din's name…?"

Zelda began fingering her sword's handle. "Something's wrong."

"Oh, wonderful," Ganondorf responded sarcastically. "I never would have guessed…"

Suddenly they heard a noise in the near distance: the chorus of bowstrings firing in unison. Dozens of fire-tipped arrows streaked out of the sky and fell upon the Hyruleans like a shower of obliteration. Soldiers lifted their shields over their heads to ward off the darts. Those without shields were either struck down or diving for cover. Next came the sound of marching footsteps. The Hyruleans looked in that direction and saw a wall of Easterling warriors approaching them, shields held in front of them, their halberds pointed at their enemy. These ones were definitely not made of straw. "It's a trap!" Navi yelled as Link readied himself for battle.

Ganondorf gritted his teeth and drew his sword. "Come, fools! Let us test our might!" he roared at the Easterlings.

The Hyruleans formed up in preparation to meet their new foe. The Easterlings kept formation, never stepping out of stride, unfazed by the motley group of men and monsters assembled before them. Ganondorf charged an energy ball in his hand and tossed it at the Easterling formation, the explosion ripping a hole in their line. Startled, their ranks faltered. Zelda unsheathed her rapier. "Attack!"

Instantly, the Hyruleans charged. Knowing they couldn't reform their lines in time, the Easterlings gave a great shout and charged as well. A heartbeat later, the thunderous sound of hundreds of armored bodies slamming into each other resonated throughout Termina Field. An Easterling swordsman came forth to challenge Link. While Link had a fairly difficult time with the soldier, he was able to get past his large shield and cut him down. Several small groups were beginning to form tight defensive knots. Both Kraug and Maorg noticed this and they each promptly broke up a group with a mighty swing of their battle-axes. The Easterlings scattered in order to escape the Iron Knuckles' wrath. Ganondorf put a spell on his sword and cut straight through an Easterling's shield and slew him before charging through another defensive knot, slaughtering many. Zelda came across a Stalfos fighting an Easterling one-on-one, and the Easterling appeared to be gaining the upper hand. A blow to the back of his head by Zelda changed that story instantly.

The Easterlings' skills eventually paid dividends as a number of Hyruleans fell to their military might. Link happened to notice two Easterlings converging on Ganondorf from behind. Quickly he spurred Epona towards the Gerudo King and beheaded both warriors with one swing. Ganondorf turned around to see both warriors fall, with Link nodding at him. "Don't think I owe you for that!" Ganondorf snarled indignantly before concentrating once more on the battle.

Link aided a Hylian who had been fighting off two Easterlings at once. The battle was slowly beginning to turn in the Hyruleans' favor, but the Easterlings continued to fight on, believing that death in battle was a glorious fate. And they knew they were serving their purpose.

XXXXXX

Far out of sight of the battling forces, the Witch-king, Saradej, and the remaining Easterling forces, still over a thousand strong, watched the brawl unfold. Confident the enemy was distracted, the Witch-king spurred his horse onward. Saradej and his men followed, and they set off towards Clock Town.

XXXXXX

The soil had become soaked with blood, clinging to the warriors' shoes and boots like a hellish mud. Both sides fought with wild ferocity, each bent on overcoming the other. Only a few dozen Easterlings were still standing, but the Hyruleans had also taken severe losses. Another agonizing hour rolled by, filled with such senseless violence that the Goddesses themselves looked away in sadness. Finally the last Easterling fell to a Lizalfos sword, and the battle was over. Wounded Hyruleans struggled to their feet and moaned in agony. Link found Zelda amongst the survivors. "Where are the Red Potions? We have a lot of injured people here!" he cried.

Zelda reached into a sack strapped onto the saddle of her horse and took out a bottle filled with the potion. For the next few hours, potions were distributed amongst the wounded to heal their injuries. Once this was done, they all breathed collective sighs of relief and gathered themselves together, waiting for orders. With a heavy heart, Link told them, "Leave the dead. We don't have time to bury them all."

Zelda looked at him, knowing deep down he was right. Time was not on their side, and if they took too long in Termina, Sauron would take over all of Hyrule before they returned. And in the battle against the Easterlings, they had taken almost 50% casualties. Link turned to Zelda and Ganondorf. "All right. I need to go to Ikana Canyon and ask for their king's assistance. You two go on ahead to Clock Town and wait for me there."

Zelda nodded while Ganondorf grunted in acknowledgement. "Sounds like a plan," the princess agreed. "Be careful, Link."

Link turned Epona around and galloped off to the east, Navi following close behind. Zelda watched Link disappear into the darkness before glancing at Ganondorf. "Come on. Let's go to Clock Town.


End file.
